Civil War Washington

Case from the case-book of the SATTERLEE HOSPITAL, West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Surgeon Isaac I. Hayes, U. S. V., in charge. Autopsy made by Dr. Joseph Leidy, Professor of Anatomy in the University of Pennsylvania. At the time of the organization of this hospital a number of the leading teachers and medical practitioners of Philadelphia volunteered their services as ward physicians, and accordingly received contracts as acting assistant surgeons. To Dr. Leidy was assigned the task of conducting the autopsies, and a report of the results was forwarded by him, at the time, to the Surgeon General. This report was accompanied by a number of valuable pathological specimens, which have been preserved in the Army Medical Museum. . . . [Many] patients were sent to Satterlee hospital from the Army of the Potomac . . . and had contracted their disease . . . during the ill-fated Peninsular campaign.

CASE 164.—Private Charles Frink, company D, 68th New York volunteers; admitted from Washington, December 18, 1862. Diarrhœa. Died, December 21st. Autopsy next day: Body slightly emaciated; chest and abdomen with a few spots of purpura; feet œdematous, swollen, and purple; an ulcerated bubo in the groin; sordes on the lips, teeth, and tongue. Brain, heart, and lungs healthy. Stomach and liver healthy. Spleen pale and somewhat soft. Kidneys healthy. Small intestine rather bright pink throughout; the lower part of the ileum inflamed, the last two feet intensely; solitary and agminated glands enlarged and inflamed, the degree of enlargement increasing in the descent of the intestine; in the lower two feet of the ileum the solitary glands were enlarged to the size of pepper-corns, and most of them presented a central ulcer; the lower agminated glands were also exceedingly enlarged, and the lowest superficially ulcerated. The large intestine was dark slate color, with streaks and patches of inflammation throughout.—Acting Assistant Surgeon Joseph Leidy.