Civil War Washington

Case from the case-book and medical descriptive lists of the DOUGLAS HOSPITAL, Washington, D. C., Assistant Surgeon William Thomson, U. S. A., in charge from February, 1863, to September, 1864, and after September, 1865; Assistant Surgeon William F. Norris in charge from October, 1864, to September, 1865:

CASE 312.—Private Isaac Shadwick, company H, 17th Vermont volunteers; admitted from the army of the Potomac September 9, 1864. Chronic dysentery. [The register of the depot hospital of the 9th Corps, City Point, Virginia, shows that this man was admitted to that hospital August 21st, and sent to general hospital September 8th; no diagnosis recorded.] Died, October 28th. Autopsy seven hours after death: No rigor mortis; body very much emaciated. The lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen were normal. The small intestine and the greater part of the colon were healthy. The upper portion of the rectum was reddened, and presented numerous spots of ecchymosis; the lower two-thirds of the rectum were thickened, very dark-colored, and were the seat of numerous deep ulcers, most of which had penetrated through the mucous coat and several through the muscular coat; a large ascaris lumbricoides escaped from the intestines whilst a stream of water was being passed through them, so that it was impossible to ascertain from what portion it came. The bladder was distended with dark-colored urine.—Acting Assistant Surgeon Carlos Carvallo.