Title: Ferguson, James

Source text: The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. (1861-65.), Part 3, Volume 2 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1883), 718.

Keywords:wounds and complicationsshot woundseffect of missiles and projectiles on bony structurecontusions of boneshot wound of forearmball entered below inner condyle of humerus, traversed forearm obliquely downward and outwardball split on radius, a portion emerged on either sideconfluent small poxno disposition to heal, strong gangrenous tendency

Civil War Washington ID: med.d2e25037

TEI/XML: med.d2e25037.xml


CASE 1062.—Captain James Ferguson, Co. I, 4th Ohio, was admitted into Seminary Hospital, Georgetown, December 20, 1862, with a shot wound of the left forearm, received at Fredericksburg. Surgeon J. H. Brinton, U. S. V., who examined this officer's injury, reported: "A conical ball entered below the inner condyle of the humerus, traversed the forearm obliquely downward and outward and split on the radius, one portion emerging on either side." Four and one-half inches of the left ulna were removed by A. A. Surgeon H. W. Ducachet. Captain Ferguson was attacked with confluent small pox and removed to Kalorama Hospital, Washington, February 8, 1863. Acting Assistant Surgeon R. J. Thomas, U. S. A. reported: "The condition of the arm when admitted was bad; no disposition to heal, with strong gangrenous tendency. He died February 15, 1863." Surgeon Brinton furnished a drawing of the divided missile, which is copied in the wood-cut (FIG. 388).

FIG. 388—Conical ball broken upon the radius. [After BRINTON.]