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 7.—Lieutenant L. E. Holdridge, company L, 4th Pennsylvania cavalry; admitted April 29, 1863. Diarrhœa. The patient had been sick four or five months, having from six to ten passages daily. The stools were thin, almost colorless, and had but little odor. He was put to bed and treated with tonics and astringents without benefit for some days, when the following was ordered: ℞. Nitrate of silver ten grains, laudanum twenty-five drops, water an ounce. Use as an enema. During the twenty-four hours after the injection the patient had but one passage, and that was of more consistence than previous stools. After twenty-four hours the injection was repeated, and the diarrhœa was completely checked. [The patient was transferred to Philadelphia May 6th. The records of Satterlee hospital, Philadelphia, show that this man was admitted May 7th—diagnosis, diarrhœa. Returned to duty May 18th.]