Civil War Washington

The following case was forwarded, on medical descriptive lists, from the KNIGHT HOSPITAL, New Haven, Connecticut, Surgeon Pliny A. Jewett, U. S. V., in charge:

CASE 97.—Private Lyman K. Stearns, company D, 14th Connecticut volunteers; age 35; admitted by transfer from Harewood hospital, Washington D. C., February 12, 1865. Chronic diarrhœa. [The register of the regimental hospital of the 14th Connecticut volunteers shows that this man was admitted to that hospital September, 1863, for acute diarrhœa, and sent to Culpepper Court-House, Virginia, September 24th. He next appears on the register of the hospital of the 2d Division, 2 Army Corps, admitted December 8, 1864; debility. Sent to depot hospital of the 2d Corps, December 15th. The register of the depot hospital of the 2d Corps records him admitted December 15th; remittent fever. Sent to Washington, D. C., January 17, 1865. The register of Harewood hospital, Washington, records him admitted January 18th; chronic diarrhœa. Sent to New Haven February 10th.] The patient had been sick about six months. He was much emaciated, very feeble, and had from four to eight thin stools daily. Was treated with astringents and opiates, tonics, nourishing diet, and stimulants. He gradually sank, and died March 16th. Autopsy nineteen hours and a half after death: Rigor mortis slight. Great emaciation. The brain was not examined. The heart and lungs were free from disease. The omentum was a mere sheet of thin membrane with no fat anywhere. The extremity of the vermiform appendix was adherent to the peritoneum just under the umbilicus; there were also adhesions in the vicinity of the caput coli. The sigmoid flexure of the colon was found in the left hypochondriac region. The left kidney was found reposing directly upon the promontory of the sacrum, and its hilum was found upon its upper anterior surface; the renal arteries supplying it came off from the bifurcation of the aorta, and consisted of four branches. The spermatic arteries also were lower down than usual, arising about an inch above the bifurcation of the aorta. The right kidney was normal in size and position. The spleen was very small and corrugated. The liver healthy, but small. The whole extent of the mucous lining of the intestine was soft and thin. In the cæcum and ascending colon there were numerous nearly circular patches of ulceration, and a deposit of pseudomembrane.—Acting Assistant Surgeon W. B. Casey. [Nos. 524 and 525, Medical Section, Army Medical Museum, are from this case. No. 524 is a portion of the colon coated with pseudomembrane, and presenting a few superficial ulcers. No. 525 is the left kidney, with the bifurcation of the aorta and the renal arteries. The hilum of the kidney, one of which bifurcates, so that four renal arteries enter the substance of the gland—two at its pelvis, the others on its superior edge.]