Civil War Washington

CASE 55.—Private Samuel Cunningham, Co. H, 12th Pa. Vols., was taken about Sept. 1, 1861, with weakness, headache, nausea and pain in the bones, and was admitted on the 5th as a case of remittent fever. His tongue was flabby, white-coated and red at the edges, pulse 90, face flushed, skin moist and hot, bowels constipated. His fever was reported to be worse in the morning than in the evening. A dose of Epsom salt was followed by six large thin stools. Quinine was given. Next day he had two small stools, and on the 7th his bowels were quiet. On this day the morning pulse was 84, the evening 68, full on both occasions; and there was headache with flushed face, a pale white-coated tongue and anorexia. Dover's powder was given at night. On the 8th the morning pulse was 66, the tongue coated white in the middle, the face slightly flushed and there was some giddiness. In the evening the pulse had risen to 71, the tongue was clean, and an eruption, stated as owing to the poison of the rhus toxicodendron, appeared in confluent patches. After this he rested well and had no fever. Bicarbonate of soda was applied to the eruption, which faded in four or five days. On the 12th the patient's appetite was good and he was walking about. On the 13th he was transferred to hospital at Baltimore, Md.