Civil War Washington

CASE 918.—Private W. W. McKeran, Co. H, 3d Michigan, was wounded in the foot, at Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862, by a musket ball, which entered the outer side of the fifth metatarsal bone and made its exit at the first metatarsal just behind the great toe. He was admitted to Judiciary Square Hospital, Washington, four days afterwards, where the wound went on slowly for some days. The foot was probed and portions of the metatarsal bones were found to be bare and broken. There being no apparent natural effort to throw off the fragments, the upper wound was enlarged and one-half the second metatarsal bone, including the phalangeal articulation, was removed, together with considerable fragments of the third and fourth metatarsals. On the following day there was some pain, but no hæmorrhage. On June 26th the patient was much better; foot a little red; poultices applied. June 28th, severe chills; quinine administered. June 29th and 30th, patient the same; foot inflamed a little. July 1st, very severe chills and fever; skin and conjunctivas yellow; tongue brown, dry, and horny. July 2d, bad symptoms increased. July 3d, continuous vomiting; jaundice worse; tongue more moist. July 4th, patient apparently a little better. July 5th, foot improved, but general aspect bad. Patient died July 6, 1862. The history was contributed by Acting Assistant Surgeon D. W. Cheever, who also forwarded the removed portions of the metatarsal bones. (Cat. Surg. Sect., 1866, p. 420, Spec. 506.)