Civil War Washington

CASE 961.—Fracture of the lower jaw from the kick of a horse.—Assistant Surgeon S. C. Sanger, 6th New York Cavalry, reported the following history of the case of "a contused and lacerated wound in connection with fracture, which was incurred accidentally. The patient was kicked by a horse. The 'heel cork' or iron projection of the shoe impinged the anterior aspect of the lower jaw a little to the right of the symphysis, and drove inward a large portion of the alveolar process to which six teeth were attached. It was determined to place the fragment in situ. This was difficult because the fracture was impacted at the point where the blow was received and the separated bone was drawn inward by the upper fibres of the genio-hyo-glossus muscles. But the object was finally accomplished by extracting a tooth from the sound portion of the jaw, when the fragment was secured in its place by silk cord and silver wire, two small braces made of cork being placed between the movable teeth and the corresponding ones of the upper jaw. The patient was sent to General Hospital. The accident happened June 19, 1863, and on August 18th the patient arrived back in camp and reported for duty. An examination made showed that the bone had united perfectly and without any perceptible deformity, but little trace of the severe laceration of the soft parts being discerned in the well-shaped and scarcely apparent cicatrix." This case has been identified as that of Farrier J. O. Bivins, Co. B, 6th New York Cavalry, aged 32 years, who entered Emory Hospital, Washington, three days after the date of the injury, and was returned to duty August 13, 1863. He was mustered out of service September 19, 1864, and has since then filed an application for pension.