Title: Markle, Elias

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), 201.

Keywords:diarrhœa and dysenteryfatal cases of diarrhœa and dysentery, with accounts of the morbid appearances observedfrom the Third Division of the Alexandria Hospital, Virginiabloody stools accompanied by abdominal pain and tenesmusdiarrhœadropsylow form of bronchitisextremities œdematouscolon ulcerated, particularly near ileo-cæcal valveliver presented nutmeg appearancebronchial inflammationengorgement of posterior lungsautopsy performed

Civil War Washington ID: med.d1e41676

TEI/XML: med.d1e41676.xml


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


CASE 526.—Private Elias Markle, company E, 184th Pennsylvania volunteers; age 34; admitted from City Point, Virginia, November 30, 1864. [This man appears on the register of the field hospital of the 2d Division, 2d Corps, admitted November 15th—dropsy; no disposition; and on the register of the depot hospital of the 2d Corps, City Point, Virginia, admitted November 26th—diarrhœa—sent to general hospital November 29th, per steamer State of Maine.] The patient was considerably emaciated, and much exhausted by the journey. He had little or no appetite, and complained of frequent bloody stools accompanied by abdominal pain and tenesmus. ℞. Oil of turpentine, tincture of opium and castor oil, each one drachm, powdered gum Arabic two drachms, water five ounces. Take a tablespoonful every three hours. This relieved the tenesmus, and the blood disappeared from the stools. During the first half of December he appeared to be improving; his bowels, however, remained loose, his stomach became irritable, he complained of soreness and dryness of the pharynx; a low form of bronchitis supervened, the skin became harsh and dry, and at times the extremities were œdematous. Brandy-punch and beef-essence were freely administered, as well as opiates and astringents, but without benefit. There was no cerebral difficulty at any time. He gradually failed, and died December 30th, at 2 A. M. Autopsy eight hours after death: There was some engorgement of the posterior part of the lungs, and some bronchial inflammation. The heart was fatty. The liver presented the nutmeg appearance. The kidneys were small and fatty. The colon was ulcerated, particularly in the neighborhood of the ileo-cæcal valve.


⃰ 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.