Case from the case-book of the THIRD DIVISION of the ALEXANDRIA HOSPITAL, Surgeon Edwin Bentley, U. S. V., in charge:⃰


CASE 467.—Private Aaron Case, company I, 5th Wisconsin volunteers; admitted October 24, 1862. Chronic diarrhœa, terminating in what was supposed to be typhoid fever. Died, November 1st. Autopsy: Body emaciated. The intestines were distended with flatus. The mucous membrane of the small intestine presented patches of softening and congestion, but no distinct ulceration could be found, nor was there any disease of Peyer's patches. The contents of the small intestine resembled pea-soup in color and consistence. Regions of injection were observed on the peritoneal surface of the small intestine, the mesentery and the greater omentum; the latter was connected to the abdominal parietes by adhesions which appeared to be recent. The liver was rather softer than normal. [No mention is made of the condition of the mucous membrane of the large intestine.]


⃰ It is to be regretted that, in most instances, the records of this hospital do not show by whom the autopsies were made. It is known that many of them were made by Surgeon Bentley himself, or under his immediate supervision, but it is only possible to distinguish these from the others in a few cases.