Civil War Washington

CASE 53.—Private Thomas W. Parker, Co. F, 3d Md. Cav., was admitted from Prince street prison October 10, 1864. The patient stated that he had suffered for some time from regular paroxysms of ague. His condition on admission indicated great nervous depression. Quinine and whiskey were prescribed, and the bowels moved by compound cathartic pills. Six days later the fever assumed a typhoid type, but this was speedily followed by an improvement, the tongue becoming moist and clean, the pulse 85 and the skin natural. On the 21st, after having been unusually comfortable and even lively during the morning, he complained in the afternoon of dyspnœa, for which counter-irritants were applied, and as there was some cough, an expectorant mixture was given. At 5 P. M., after eating a good meal of bread and milk, he was suddenly seized with intense dyspnœa; in the course of half an hour convulsions set in, and he died shortly after. Stimulants, friction of the extremities, etc., were tried without effect. Post-mortem examination eighteen hours after death: Both lungs were much congested throughout, with the exception of a small portion of the anterior border of each; they contained no tubercles, nor was any other lesion observed in them. Nothing abnormal could be detected in the stomach or intestines. The liver was healthy. The other organs were not examined.—Third Division Hospital, Alexandria, Va.