Civil War Washington

CASE 123.—Private Wm. H. Courtney, Co. B, 24th N. Y. Vols.; age 24; was taken Sept. 4, 1861, with pain in the shoulders and left side and also on breathing; he had chills and fever and had been blistered. He was admitted on the 18th. Diagnosis—typhoid fever. The pulse was 46, skin cool and moist, left side tender and dull, respiration short, decubitus on the sound side, tongue smooth, nearly dry, bowels constipated and tender in both iliac regions. Two grains of calomel and one-fourth grain of morphia were prescribed. Next day the pain was less sharp, the præcordia seemed elevated and the sounds of the heart were obscured. In the evening the patient was drowsy, pulse 50 and irregular, skin natural, tongue slightly coated gray posteriorly, red at the tip. Calomel in two-grain doses with opium was given every two hours. On the 20th there was acute tenderness in both iliac regions but the bowels continued constipated. On the 21st the breath became fetid,and on the following day the gums were swollen and tender. The mercurial was omitted. On the 24th chlorate of potash was given on account of the salivation. The patient was walking about and had a good appetite on the 30th, and was doing light duty in the ward on October 3. He was returned to duty on the 17th.