Civil War Washington

CASE 421.—Private T. Fitzgerald, Co. C, 38th New York, aged 27 years, was wounded at Chancellorsville, May 2, 1863, and treated at a field hospital until June 15th, when he was conveyed to Washington. Assistant Surgeon G. A. Mursick, U. S. V., reported: "The patient was admitted to Stanton Hospital with compound fracture of the lower third of tho right femur. Resection of a portion of the bone was performed on May 19th, before admission to this hospital. The wound suppurated profusely, and his condition was unfavorable. Water dressings were used, and Hodgen's splint was applied to the limb. Six ounces of whiskey were administered daily. There was no attempt at union of the bone and no abatement of the discharge. By July 2d the patient had become pale, anæmic, and emaciated, when muriated tincture of iron was prescribed in doses of twenty drops three times a day. The patient was also troubled with anorexia, and on July 5th diarrhœa came on, for which astringents, consisting of opium and tannin, and subsequently tincture of catechu and opium, were administered. Death occurred on July 10, 1863." A section of the injured femur was contributed by Surgeon J. A. Lidell, U. S. V., and is shown in the wood-cut (FIG. 171). The specimen exhibits considerable deposit of callus, imprisoning the necrosed fragments but not uniting the extremities.