Title: Constable, W. M.

Source text: The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. (1861-65.), Part 3, Volume 2 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1883), 387.

Keywords:wounds and injuries of the lower extremitieswounds and injuries of the knee jointexcisions at the knee joint for shot injuryprimary excisions at the knee jointrecoveries after primary excision of the knee jointprimary excision was followed by a successful intermediary amputation of the thigh at the junction of the middle and lower thirds of the femursevere fracture of external condyle of femur and of head of tibiawounded in kneegeneral anesthesia, chloroformartificial limb fitted

Civil War Washington ID: med.d2e15997

TEI/XML: med.d2e15997.xml


CASE 587.—Private W. M. Constable, Co. H, 1st U. S. Cavalry, aged 26 years, was wounded in the right knee, at Dinwiddie Court House, March 31, 1865. He was admitted to a Cavalry Corps field hospital, whence Assistant Surgeon E. J. Marsh, U. S. A., reported: "Severe fracture of external condyle of femur and of head of tibia by a bullet; treated by excision; missile removed; chloroform used." Five days after the date of the wound the limb was amputated by the circular method at the junction of the middle and lower thirds of the thigh. This operation was done at Judiciary Square Hospital, Washington, by Acting Assistant Surgeon F. H. Colton, who also, three months later, at Douglas Hospital, performed a second operation, removing a sequestrum, two inches long and one-fourth inch wide, from the stump. By August 29th the stump had entirely healed, and one week afterwards an artificial limb was fitted by the Jewett Patent Leg Co. The patient was subsequently discharged from Harewood Hospital, November 18, 1865, and pensioned. Several years afterwards he served for a period in the 44th Regiment (Invalid) of Infantry. The pensioner was paid March 4, 1880.