Civil War Washington

CASE 48.—Probable relapse four months after primary attack. Diarrhœa; abdominal tenderness; eruptions; sordes; delirium; death.—Private William Boardman, Co. D, 1st Pa. Rifles; age 29; was admitted Oct. 10, 1861. He stated that he had been sick since June, when he had an attack of enteric fever. On admission he had headache and was anxious looking, his eyes dull, cheeks flushed, pulse 90, quick and feeble, skin hot and dry, tongue slightly moist, red at the tip and edges, black and fissured in the centre; his appetite was fair. Dover's powder was prescribed. Next day he was reported as having had four movements of the bowels; his tongue had become white in the centre and his skin covered profusely with an eruption the character of which is not stated. Punch and tincture of iron were given. The eruption is mentioned on the following day and again on the 21st. During the progress of the case the bowels were relaxed, two stools being passed daily. The appetite continued good until the day of death. There was great tenderness in the abdomen, which was at first especially marked in the left iliac region, but afterwards became associated with various regions as the epigastric, umbilical, the track of the transverse and descending colon and on one occasion the right side; the tenderness was usually accompanied by meteorism and gurgling. The skin was hot and dry throughout except on one or two days, when it was reported as very dry but not hot. The tongue was dry, red, fissured and glazed, the lips covered with sordes and the teeth with tenacious mucus. On the l6th there was some headache with occasional delirium of a mild character, which afterwards became more continuous. On the 23d the patient is reported as having slept well as usual; his countenance was pale, face pinched, lips parched, skin and tongue dry, pulse 95 and feeble, the abdomen flat. Turpentine emulsion, cod-liver oil and quinine were prescribed. He died during the night.