Civil War Washington

CASE 906.—Shot fracture of tarsal bones; death.—Captain C. E. Jennings, Co. G, 26th New York, was wounded in the foot, at Bull Run, August 30, 1862, and was conveyed to Washington. Surgeon C. L. Allen, U. S. V., reported: "The patient was a man about thirty years of age, of a sanguine temperament, and apparently of good constitution and fair health previous to being wounded; while he was at Alexandria, on his way to Washington, a surgeon had declared the necessity of amputation; but before the operation could be performed the patient was taken to Washington. The ball had entered on the inner side of the foot and passed through the three cuneiform bones and the cuboid, the wound of exit being upon the external and upper surface of the foot. On September 27th the foot was enormously swollen, and there were five or six openings besides the original wounds discharging large quantities of unhealthy sanious pus. The leg and even the thigh were very much swollen and œdematous, and the lower third of the leg was marked by several long cicatrices, said to be the results of incisions made early in the case for erysipelatous inflammation. His general condition was that of marked hectic and his emaciation was great. He had also considerable dyspnœa and complained of pain in his chest, for which sinapisms were being applied. Compound tincture of cinchona and tincture of cantharides, with brandy and liberal allowance of beef-essence, etc., were now immediately ordered for the patient, hoping but not expecting to raise him to a condition to sustain amputation of the leg. Although crowding the nourishment and stimulants to the utmost he continued to sink, and died on October 1, 1862. No post-mortem examination was held."