Civil War Washington

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

CASE 487.—Private John C. Fox, company F, 16th Pennsylvania cavalry; age 23; admitted June 28, 1863. Chronic diarrhœa of four months duration. The patient was much emaciated; had the physical signs of a deposit of tubercle in the left lung, and at the time of admission, from fifteen to twenty discharges from the bowels daily. He was placed upon an alterative and sustaining treatment, which slightly checked the diarrhœa. July 9th: He had an attack of hæmorrhage from the lungs, which was quite profuse at first, but lasted only a short time; and subsequently he continued to improve under treatment. August 15th: An almost total suppression of urine occurred. He was catheterized from time to time, but only a few drops of urine were obtained. This condition continued until death. Died, August 20th. Autopsy fourteen hours after death: There was an abundant deposit of softened tubercle in the left lung, a few scattered tubercles in the right; extensive pleuritic adhesions on the right side. The mucous membrane of both small and large intestine was inflamed, softened and ulcerated. The liver, spleen and kidneys appeared to be perfectly normal.

⃰ 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.