Civil War Washington

CASE 862.—Private J. C. Perkins, Co. B, 81st New York, aged 27 years, was wounded at Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864. Surgeon W. H. Rice, 81st New York, reported his admission to the field hospital of the 1st division, Eighteenth Corps, with "wound of ankles by a minié ball." Twelve days after the reception of the injury the wounded man was admitted to Harewood Hospital, Washington, where both limbs were operated upon by Surgeon R. B. Bontecou, U. S. V., who made the following report: "The patient was suffering from wounds of the right and left ankle joints, the ball entering above the external malleolus of the right ankle, passing directly through, and entering the internal malleolus of the left ankle. On admission and at the time of the operation the condition of the injured parts was not good. The wounds suppurated freely. There were detached portions of bone in each joint, and necrosed fragments came away from time to time. The constitutional state of the patient was poor. Resection of the right ankle joint and circular amputation of the left leg at the lower third was performed onJuly 7th, the anæsthetic consisting of sulphuric ether and chloroform. The result of the operation was unfavorable. The stump sloughed and profuse unhealthy suppuration followed the resection, extending in every direction and burrowing up the leg nearly to its middle. The patient became very weak and sank gradually. He died of exhaustion July 17, 1864. The treatment was tonic and supporting throughout." The tarsal bones of the right foot, together with the lower extremity of the tibia, were contributed to the Museum by Surgeon Bontecou and constitute specimen 3035 of the Surgical Section.