Civil War Washington

Case from the case-book and medical descriptive lists of the DOUGLAS HOSPITAL, Washington, D. C., Assistant Surgeon William F. Norris in charge from October, 1864, to September, 1865:

CASE 321.—Private John Morbly, company F, 180th Ohio volunteers; age 22; admitted February 5, 1865. Diarrhœa and pneumonia. This man had watery, offensive stools; feeble, rapid pulse; dusky, anxious countenance; labored respiration; dry, dark, thickly coated tongue; low delirium, and considerable stupor. There was marked dulness​ on percussion over the left side of the chest, but with little crepitation; on the right side small crepitation was heard. The expectoration was scanty and difficult at first, but was fairly established under the use of a combination of fluid extract of ipecacuanha, bicarbonate of soda, and sulphate of morphia. Stimulants and beef-tea were administered from the first. Died, February 7th. Autopsy sixteen hours after death: The superior lobe of the right lung was found to be completely consolidated, while the middle and lower lobes were collapsed and but slightly engorged. The superior lobe of the left lung was apparently healthy, and the upper third of the lower lobe was hepatized; the remaining portion was but slightly congested, and readily floated in water. The other organs of the chest were apparently healthy, and nothing abnormal was observed in any portion of the intestinal canal.—Acting Assistant Surgeon George P. Hanawalt.