Civil War Washington

CASE 677.—Captain W. W. Ellis, Co. D, 61st Pennsylvania, aged 23 years, was wounded in the left leg, at Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863, and entered Douglas Hospital, Washington, five days afterwards. Assistant Surgeon W. Thomson, U. S. A., reported: "This officer suffered a fracture of the tibia near its middle by a ball, which entered posteriorly at the gastrocnemius muscle, and was retained. The fracture united without exfoliation, necrosis, or even free suppuration. The leg was placed in a bran box and dressed with cold-water applications. The patient suffered from severe catarrh, which yielded to treatment. There was also hyperæsthesia of the foot, for which, before the patient left on furlough in June, I made an incision in search of the ball and disturbed the cicatrix with good effect, relieving the nervous irritation of the foot. When the patient returned from furlough, September 1st, he was ordered to report to Surgeon M. Clymer, U. S. V., for treatment, and I lost sight of him. His recovery was good, but the leg was yet feeble and contracted, owing to want of passive motion while at his home." Captain Ellis resigned January 1, 1864, and was commissioned in the Veteran Reserve Corps, in which organization he served until March 13, 1866, when he was mustered out and pensioned. Examining Surgeon G. Urquhart, of Wilkesbarre​, Pennsylvania, August 22, 1866, certified to half an inch shortening of the limb; also to painfulness, weakness, and occasional lameness. Examiner J. W. Martin, of Red Oak, Iowa, reported, September 4, 1873: "There are large cicatrices on the left side of the tibia; leg bent and shortened; foot swollen and tender, and muscles shrunken above the ankle. He suffers extreme pain in the leg and is unable to bear much weight upon it; general health not good." The pensioner was paid September 4, 1880.