Civil War Washington

Case from the medical descriptive lists of the SECOND DIVISION of the ALEXANDRIA HOSPITAL, Virginia, Surgeon T. Rush Spencer, U. S. V., in charge:

CASE 442.—Private G. A. Wagner, company K, 150th New York volunteers; age 23; admitted September 17, 1863. Chronic diarrhœa. At the time of admission, besides diarrhœa, the patient had symptoms of pneumonia. He was much debilitated. To take, morning and evening, four grains of Dover's powder, half a drachm of subnitrate of bismuth, and five grains of calomel in one powder; milk diet. September 18th: The cough is slightly better, and the passages are less frequent. Treatment and diet continued. September 19th: The stools are less frequent, but are still watery; the cough continues. To take a teaspoonful of syrup of squill three times a day besides the powders. September 29th: Condition improving; stools still watery, but not frequent. To take twenty drops of the syrup of the iodide of iron three times a day; also tincture of cinchona. October 5th: Is again attacked with violent diarrhœa, having eight passages in the twenty-four hours. Renew the subnitrate of bismuth in half-drachm doses; milk diet. October 7th: Patient very low; passages ten per day. Continue the subnitrate of bismuth; also give enemata of tannic acid and opium. October 8th: The passages have decreased in number to five in the twenty-four hours, but are mixed with blood. Stop the bismuth. Take three grains of powdered opium twice a day; milk-punch. October 9th: Patient complains of severe pain in right iliac region; had five bloody passages in the last twenty-four hours. To take powders of tannic acid, calomel, and opium every three hours; a mustard plaster to the abdomen; milk-punch. October 10th: The patient lies in a state of stupor, pulse feeble and trembling. Died at 9 A. M. Autopsy: There was extensive inflammation of the ileum, cæcum, and colon.—Acting Assistant Surgeon Thomas H. Stillwell.