Civil War Washington

The following case forwarded on medical descriptive lists from the TROY HOSPITAL, New York, Surgeon George H. Hubbard, U. S. V., in charge:

CASE 99.—Private Walter Marshall, company K, 93d New York volunteers; age 38; admitted November 18, 1864. Chronic diarrhœa. [This man was admitted to regimental hospital July 21, 1864, and was returned to duty July 24th. September 3d he was sent to the field hospital of the 3d Division, 2d Army Corps, suffering from diarrhœa. September 15th he was transferred to the depot hospital of the same division at City Point, Virginia, whence, September 19th, he was sent to Washington. September 21st he was admitted to Emory Hospital, Washington, D. C., where he was treated for diarrhœa until November 1st, when he received a furlough and went to his home. While on furlough he was taken worse, and was admitted to this hospital.] He stated that he had suffered from diarrhœa for four months. He is not very much emaciated and debilitated; the expression of his face is anxious, there is a hectic flush on each cheek, and the eyes are suffused; pulse small and feeble; respiration 25; skin dry and harsh; tongue coated with a yellowish-white fur. There is a total loss of appetite, great thirst, and some nausea. The abdomen is slightly tympanitic, and there is some tenderness over the transverse colon, but no pain. He has ten or twelve dark, offensive dejections daily. From the date of admission this case steadily progressed to a fatal termination. The only apparent improvement under treatment was in the number of discharges, which became less and less frequent, so that at last he had but about two dejections daily. Forty-eight hours before death a high fever came on. He died December 2d. He was treated successively with pills of blue mass, opium, and ipecacuanha; pills of persulphate of iron, opium, and quinine; aromatic sulphuric acid and laudanum, acetate of lead and opium, nitrate of silver and opium, chalk-mixture, &c.; milk-punch, egg-nog, &c. Autopsy: There was an intussusception of the ileum six inches in length. The mucous membrane of the rectum was very much thickened, indurated, and extensively ulcerated. The mesenteric glands were enlarged.—Acting Assistant Surgeon Myron J. Davis.