Civil War Washington

CASE 33.—Pain in foot and leg.—Private William Camp, Co. D, 122d Ohio; age 19; was admitted Sept. 11, 1863. Diagnosis—intermittent fever. He had been sick for five days, during which the bowels were constipated. Three compound cathartic pills given on admission produced two copious stools at night. On the 12th the pulse was 90, full and strong, tongue coated, appetite deficient, skin hot and moist and urine scanty; there was pain in the head, limbs and back. Sweet spirit of nitre was prescribed. By the 15th the skin had become cooler and the headache diminished; epistaxis occurred twice on this day. Diarrhœa set in on the 16th, the stools being liquid and yellowish and the tongue dry and coated. Drowsiness and delirium were developed on the 18th and recurred particularly at night; the pulse ran up to 110 and the respiration to 32. Milk-punch was given and a blister applied to the chest; squill and seneka were also prescribed. The diarrhœa meanwhile persisted, and on the 22d three involuntary stools were passed. Subnitrate of bismuth was given. The patient rested well on the 27th, and next day was more rational; the chest symptoms also were much improved. The diarrhœa continued at the rate of three to five stools daily, with sometimes severe pain in the bowels, until October 16, and during this period the tongue was more or less coated and sometimes dry and the appetite poor. Wine, brandy, porter, milk-punch, wine-whey and whiskey with quinine were used. The appetite returned on the 23d, but the diarrhœa recurred on the 26th and again on November 17, its appearance on the latter date having been attributed to the use of apple-sauce. About October 1 the foot (side not stated) became very painful, but no further mention is made of this until November 13, when the leg was reported as much swollen, and hop fomentations were prescribed. On the 25th the left leg and foot were swollen and fomentations of pepper and hops were used. On the 27th chloroform, arnica and aconite were mixed with olive oil as a liniment for the left leg and foot, but after this no more information is given concerning their condition. The patient was furloughed Jan. 25, 1864. He returned February 24, and was sent to his command for duty May 3.—Third Division Hospital, Alexandria, Va.