Title: Frederickson, Hans C.

Source text: The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. (1861-65.), Part 2, Volume 1 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1879), 198.

Keywords:diarrhœa and dysenteryfatal cases of diarrhœa and dysentery, with accounts of the morbid appearances observedfrom the Third Division of the Alexandria Hospital, Virginiaacute dysenteryhæmorrhagic discharges from bowelstenesmus, severe pains in lower abdomeninjured iliac region with pommel of saddle, vomited large quantity of blood at that timeevacuations almost pure blood twenty-four hours preceding deathexhausting hæmorrhagemucous membrane of colon and rectum presented deep ulcers, some extended to peritoneal coatcæcum adhered to walls of abdomencontusion of abdomen, vomited large quantity of bloodfall from horseinjury of iliac regionautopsy performed

Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e41606

TEI/XML: med.d1e41606.xml


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


CASE 508.—Quartermaster Sergeant Hans C. Frederickson, 3d Veteran Reserve Corps; age 24; admitted from regimental quarters July 22, 1864. Acute dysentery. At the time of admission the patient was suffering from frequent hæmorrhagic discharges from the bowels, with tenesmus, accompanied by very severe pains in the lower part of the abdomen. He had been sick two or three weeks, but the symptoms had only recently become severe. About two months previously his horse had thrown him, and in falling had injured him in the right iliac region with the pommel of the saddle. He stated that he vomited a large quantity of blood at the time of the accident, and had not entirely recovered from the effects of the injury, when he was attacked with diarrhœa which soon became dysenteric in character. He was at first treated with quinine, as there seemed to be periodical exacerbations of the symptoms; diaphoretics were also administered, and enemata of starch-water and laudanum. He improved for a few days, after which the symptoms again became more severe. Alteratives, astringents and stimulants were used without effect. He remained perfectly conscious till a very short time before his death. During the twenty-four hours immediately preceding dissolution the evacuations were almost pure blood, and he presented all the appearances of one suffering from exhausting hæmorrhage. Died, August 4th. Autopsy twenty-four hours after death: Body considerably emaciated. The stomach was inflamed. The mucous membrane of the colon and rectum presented a number of large deep ulcers, some of which extended to the peritoneal coat. The cæcum adhered to the walls of the abdomen for a space the size of a silver dollar. The other organs appeared to be healthy.


⃰ 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.