Civil War Washington

The notes of the next case were forwarded, with the specimen, from the REGIMENTAL HOSPITAL of the 8th Illinois cavalry, Washington, D. C., by Surgeon Abner Hard:

CASE 436.—Private Frederick Gewecke, company K, 8th Illinois cavalry; German; age 27; admitted to regimental hospital May 6, 1864. He had been under treatment in quarters for some time with diarrhœa alternating with constipation. His breath was very offensive, resembling emanations from putrid animal matter. Obstinate diarrhœa soon supervened, with fever of an adynamic type. This state continued, with anorexia and emaciation, until May 18th, when he had hæmorrhage of the bowels. The turpentine he was taking was then increased in quantity, and the hæmorrhage was checked by enemata of solution of the persulphate of iron and laudanum. It recurred, however, several times, and he died May 23d. Autopsy: The lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys were apparently healthy. The mucous membrane of the small intestine was softened and ulcerated in patches. The colon from the cæcum to the rectum was ragged with ulceration; there were more than twenty perforations, yet no fæcal matter had escaped into the peritoneal cavity, and there were few adhesions showing peritoneal inflammation. [No. 322, Medical Section, Army Medical Museum, is from this case. The specimen is a portion of the thickened ascending colon, presenting a number of deep ulcers with ragged edges. Two of the ulcers have perforated.]