Civil War Washington

CASE 634.—Private D. Sexton, Co. H, 11th Massachusetts, aged 18 years, was wounded at Bull Run, August 29, 1862. Surgeon D. P. Smith, U. S. V., recorded his admission to Fairfax Seminary Hospital, September 9th, with "shot wound of left knee joint," and reported that secondary resection of the patella was performed, also that the patient died November 6, 1862, from the effects of his wound and "exsection​ of the patella" The wood-cuts are representations of two post-mortem specimens, contributed by Surgeon Smith, one of which (FIG. 249) consists of a dried ligamentous preparation of the bones of the knee, presenting the appearance of inflammation having been followed by anchylosis; the other (FIG. 250) comprises the soft structures of the knee, and shows an H-shaped cicatrix, the horizontal portion being four inches and the upright three inches in length. The integument appears to have sloughed over a large portion of the front of the knee and to have cicatrized imperfectly, while on the lateral and posterior portions there are marks of several abscesses.