Civil War Washington

Case entered in the book is signed by Assistant Surgeon A. Hartsuff, U. S. A., temporarily acting as surgeon in charge,⃰ by whom it is understood the majority if not all the cases were treated. To the account of each case as recorded in the case-book the subsequent history of the patient, whenever it has been possible to obtain it, is appended. ⃰In the absence of Assistant Surgeon E. J. Marsh, U. S. A.

CASE 6.—Private Charles Shank, company H, 4th New York cavalry; age 54; admitted April 29, 1863. Diarrhœa of seven weeks standing, with from five to eight discharges daily. The stools were thin and colorless. Ordered acetate of lead and tonics. May 1st: The diarrhœa still continues. ℞. Nitrate of silver ten grains, tincture of opium twenty-five drops, water one ounce. Use as an enema. This was retained one hour, after which the patient had but one action per day until he was transferred to general hospital in Philadelphia, several days afterward. [The case-book of Satterlee hospital, Philadelphia, shows that this man was admitted to that hospital May 7th, still suffering from diarrhœa. He also had difficulty in passing water, pain in the region of sacrum, and tenderness along the track of the colon. To take every two hours a pill containing two grains of acetate of lead and half a grain of opium. Mustard plaster to abdomen. Milk diet. May 16th: The patient remains about the same. Discontinue the pills. ℞. Tincture of catechu half an ounce, compound tincture of gentian three ounces and a half. Take a tablespoonful three times daily. May 21st: Bowels constipated. Stop the tincture of catechu and give an ounce of castor oil with twenty-five drops of laudanum. May 25th: The diarrhœa has returned since the oil operated. Renew the tincture of catechu and gentian. May 27th: Substitute Hope's camphor mixture. June 24th: The diarrhœa still continues; the evacuations are abundant and watery. The patient complains of intense rheumatic pains, and a certain stiffness is evinced in all his motions. Ordered ten grains of powdered nutmeg every two hours, and a chloroform liniment. June 27th: The diarrhœa has ceased but the rheumatism still continues. ℞. Iodide of potassium one drachm, wine of colchicum root one drachm, compound tincture of gentian two ounces. Take a teaspoonful three times a day. July 1st: The diarrhœa has returned. The patient complains of cramps in the stomach. Prescribed an aromatic mixture containing ginger and paregoric; subsequently resumed the powdered nutmeg. July 10th: The patient appearing to be nearly well, treatment was discontinued, and he was put on duty in the drug store. July 13: The diarrhœa having recurred, he was returned to the ward and treatment was resumed. He was transferred to convalescent hospital July 30th. The register of the convalescent hospital, corner of 16th and Filbert streets, reports him admitted August 1, 1863. Chronic rheumatism. Transferred to the 2d battalion, Veteran Reserve Corps, November 15th.]