Civil War Washington

CASE 90.—Sergeant-Major L. C. Sears, 5th New Hampshire, aged 22 years, wounded at Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Surgeon T. Antisell, U. S. V., reported from Harewood Hospital, Washington: "A conical ball entered the right thigh two inches below Poupart's ligament. On the morning of December 19th there was a slight hæmorrhage from the wound. Search was made for the ball without result. A counter opening was made and a seton inserted. He remained very comfortable until the 22d instant, when a severe hæmorrhage occurred, which necessitated the tying of the femoral in the ward, by Dr. Antisell. On Sunday, January 4, 1863, there occurred a hæmorrhage which was arrested by means of styptics and compression. Another hæmorrhage followed on the evening of January 7th, which could not be controlled by styptics. Search was made for the bleeding vessel without result. The patient lost much blood. On the following morning, January 8th, the patient was again brought into the operating room and the wound was carefully explored, but the bleeding vessel was not found. The operation of tying the external iliac artery was then performed by Dr. Antisell, in the hope of arresting the hæmorrhage permanently. The operation was no sooner completed than there was a welling up of blood from the point from which the previous hæmorrhage had proceeded. Styptics and compression were applied, and the patient was returned to the barrack​. Stimulants and beef-tea were freely given, and warmth was applied to the extremities to restore reaction. He revived toward evening, and remained sensible and quite comfortable until the evening of the 10th instant. He died January 11, 1863, from exhaustion."