Civil War Washington

CASE 985.—Private A. Zufall, Co. C, 142d Pennsylvania, aged 21 years, had his feet frost-bitten in the field during the month of January, 1863. After undergoing treatment in field hospitals for several months, he was transferred to Washington and subsequently to Philadelphia. Acting Assistant Surgeon K. M. Girvin reported that at the time of the patient's admission to Satterlee Hospital, June 23d, his feet were swollen and purplish looking and he had not been able to wear his shoes for five months. He was doing well and no treatment was required. The patient was returned to his regiment for duty on December 2, 1863. At the battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 1864, he received a gunshot flesh wound in the left thigh, for which injury he was again treated in various hospitals. He was ultimately mustered out of service May 29, 1865, and pensioned. Examining Surgeon H. Brubaker, of Somerset, Pennsylvania, reported, November 4, 1874: "The toes of both feet are stiff and the feet are very tender from the presence of chilblains, which become very troublesome during the winter, when he is unable to wear shoes most of the time." Examiner S. L. Good, of Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1880, certified to "loss of motion of the toes of both feet; cold and imperfect circulation. He states that the feet are numb and get cold easily. He cannot walk much." The pensioner was paid December 4, 1881.