Civil War Washington

CASE 841.—Sergeant M. G. Sparks, Co. I, 10th New Jersey, aged 25 years, was wounded in the right ankle, before Petersburg, April 2, 1865. He entered the field hospital of the 1st division, Sixth Corps, where Surgeon R. Sharpe, 15th New Jersey, recorded the injury as a "shot fracture of the fibula and tarsus," also that "resection of the fibula" was performed. The patient was subsequently transferred to the Depot Hospital at City Point, and from there, on April 12th, to Judiciary Square Hospital at Washington. Surgeon E. Griswold, U. S. V., in charge of the latter, reported that when the patient was admitted his constitutional state was not good and the injured parts were in a bad condition, necessitating amputation, which was performed by antero-posterior skin flaps at the middle third of the leg, on April 13th, by Acting Assistant Surgeon Z. P. Dennler. Chloroform and ether constituted the anæsthetic. After the amputation simple dressings were used and stimulants, etc., were administered. Subsequently the patient passed through various hospitals, and on February 2, 1866, he was discharged from service and pensioned. He was paid June 4, 1874, since when he has not been heard from.