Civil War Washington

CASE 79.—Cerebral symptoms not marked; constipation; bilious vomiting; rose-spots on 14th and 18th days.—Private Thomas Connell, Co. K, 3d Vt.; age 22; caught cold Sept. 27, 1861, and had headache, pain in the loins and limbs and anorexia. He was admitted October 3d as a case of gastritis. His eyes were suffused; pulse 95, full and strong; skin moist but somewhat hot; tongue dry, red and glossy; constipation, anorexia and great irritability of the stomach were present. Sulphate of magnesia and antimony were given, and ten grains of calomel in the evening. The Epsom salt was repeated on the 5th. Next day two grains of quinine were given every two hours, and tincture of iron on the 7th. One stool was obtained on this day; the gastric irritation had somewhat lessened; pulse 70. On the 9th the pulse fell to 45, the skin was of natural temperature, the tongue red, clean and moist but rather flabby, the appetite moderate and the bowels unmoved. Rose-colored spots appeared on the 10th; the appetite was poor; the bowels unmoved and tender. Two compound cathartic pills were given, with turpentine emulsion, every three hours, and two grains of quinine every hour. Next day one stool was obtained, and there was marked tenderness with gurgling in the right iliac and umbilical regions. Some irritability of stomach, cough, pain in chest, suffusion of eyes and congestion of face were noted on this day; pulse 50; skin natural; tongue moist, red and clean. On the 13th, the bowels having continued unmoved and tender in the interval, a cathartic enema was given; this was followed on the 16th by an ounce and a half of castor oil. Three stools were passed on the 17th, three on the 18th, and seven, twelve and fifteen on the following days, after which two stools were recorded daily for several days, with some abdominal tenderness. Rose-spots were noted on the 14th. The patient was sent to Annapolis, Md., November 1 [whence he was returned to duty December 2].