Title: Tetlow, J.

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), 716.

Keywords:wounds and complicationsshot woundseffect of missiles and projectiles on bony structurecontusions of boneshot wound of legball entered outer side of popliteal space, did not emergemissile impinged upon under side of internal condyle, no further injury to bone, killing periosteumconstitutional fever and chillperiosteum gone on inner side and end of internal condyle, external condyle, and external portion of articular surface of tibiajoint full of pus, lower third of femur dissected up with pusnecrosis of boneautopsy performed

Civil War Washington ID: med.d2e29138

TEI/XML: med.d2e29138.xml


CASE 1054.—Private J. Tetlow, Co. F, 23d New Jersey, was wounded at Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Surgeon G. Burr, U. S. V., reported his admission to the field hospital of the 1st division, Sixth Corps, with "shot wound of leg." Acting Assistant Surgeon G. F. French reported the following result of the injury: "The patient was admitted to hospital at Alexandria on December 19th. He had been wounded by a ball entering on the outer side of the right popliteal space and not emerging. He was a strong and healthy man, his pulse being 90 and full; appetite fair; knee tender, very little inflamed, and slightly swollen. By December 22d the inflammation about the knee was increasing; pulse 98; appetite flagging. On the next day there was high constitutional fever with great swelling and pain about the knee; patient hectic and had a chill. On December 24th a round ball was found lying loose in the wound and was extracted without incision; under portion of internal condyle felt to be bare. December 29th, knee more inflamed and swelled; constitutional fever about the same; pulse 100 and weak. Pus was detected and let out by a free incision, giving much relief. Egg-nog ordered for the patient. On the following day he was more comfortable but seemed exhausted, and was delirious at times; pulse weak. On December 31st he had a chill with pain in the stomach, and two days afterwards he was delirious; pulse very feeble and slow. His death occurred at 5 P. M. on January 2, 1863. Autopsy: External condyle bared of periosteum; joint full of pus; external portion of articular surface of tibia bared also; lower third of femur dissected up with pus; periosteum gone on the inner side and end of internal condyle; bone beginning to necrose. The missile had impinged upon the under side of the internal condyle, doing no further injury to the bone than killing the periosteum over a space the size of a half dime."¹


¹ An abstract of this case was published by J. B. BELLANGER (Report of five cases of Gunshot Injury of the Knee Joint) in American Journal Medical Sciences, New Series, 1863, Vol. XLVI, p. 44.