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 537.—Private Oliver B. Quinn, company E, 128th Indiana volunteers; age 27; admitted from Soldiers' Rest February 20, 1865. Chronic diarrhœa and rheumatism. By May 16th the diarrhœa had ceased, but the patient presented the physical signs of phthisis. He had severe night-sweats, a troublesome cough, and profuse expectoration of very thick sputa​ mingled with blood. At times the diarrhœa recurred, but was always easily controlled by astringents. The general treatment consisted in the use of expectorants and tonics, with nourishing food and milk-punch. The patient was invariably in good spirits, expecting soon to be able to go home. Died, June 9th. Autopsy thirty-six hours after death: The left lung was infiltrated with tubercles, and had large cavities in its upper lobe; the superior lobe of the right lung also contained a very few tubercles. The mucous membrane of the intestines, especially of the ileum and cæcum, was inflamed; the solitary glands enlarged. The mesenteric glands were tubercular.

⃰ 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.