Title: Taylor, G. W.

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), 480.

Keywords:wounds and injuries of the lower extremitieswounds and operations in the legshot fractures of the bones of the legamputations in the continuity of the leg for shot fracturesprimary amputations in the continuity of the leg for shot injuryprimary amputations in the middle third of the leg for shot injuryfatal primary amputations in the middle third of the bones of the legball entered inner edge of middle of tibia, comminuted bone above and below, made two openings of exit on anterior and outer aspect of leg above external malleoluslimb amputated at middle third, considerable blood lost, all vessels requiring ligationmorbific influence of malariafibula not broken by ball, fractured by supporting weight of patient after tibia fracturedgeneral anesthesia, chloroform

Civil War Washington ID: med.d2e19163

TEI/XML: med.d2e19163.xml


CASE 738.—Brigadier General G. W. Taylor, U. S. V., was wounded in the left leg, at Bull Run, August 27, 1862. The character of the injury and its result was reported by Assistant Surgeon J. B. Brinton​, U. S. A.​, as follows: "A ball entered at the inner edge of the tibia, about six inches above the internal malleolus, passed directly through and comminuted the bone very badly for about six inches above and below, making two openings of exit on the anterior and outer aspect of the leg about five inches above the external malleolus. The patient was admitted into the Mansion House Hospital, Alexandria, thirteen hours after the reception of the injury, where Surgeon J. H. Brinton, U. S. V., amputated the limb by the double flap method at the middle third. The operation was performed twenty-six hours after the reception of the injury, the patient losing considerable blood and all the vessels requiring ligation. He had been with the army through the Peninsular campaign and his blood appeared to be very much vitiated by morbific influence of malaria. After the amputation it was discovered, what was previously suspected, that the fibula was not broken by the force of the ball, but by the weight of the patient coining upon it suddenly when the support from the tibia was destroyed by its fracture. The patient's arterial system did not fully react; his pulse, which was feeble, tremulous, and very irregular at times, evidently denoted a depraved condition of the system. He refused to take stimulants except sparingly. This condition continued until September 1, 1862, when he died at 4 o'clock A. M. He was under the influence of chloroform during the operation." The amputated parts of the tibia and fibula (Spec. 313, Surg. Sect., A. M. M.), represented in the wood-cut (FIG. 289), were contributed to the Museum by the operator.

FIG. 289.—Left tibia fractured by a musket ball; fibula fractured by the subject's weight suddenly coming upon it.—Spec. 313.