Civil War Washington

CASE 1748.—Corporal O. G. Hess, Co. C, 8th Illinois Cavalry, was wounded at Beverly Ford, June 9, 1863, and was sent to St. Paul's Church Hospital, at Alexandria. Assistant Surgeon A. W. Tryon, 100th New York, reported: "Admitted June 11, 1863. Ball entered over the middle point of the upper aspect of the elbow joint, and, passing upward and backward, made its exit on the outer surface of the arm an inch above the joint, fracturing the humerus. General health good; bowels constipated. A mild cathartic was given, and the wound was constantly irrigated with ice water. June 20th, some fever; pulse 118; tongue a little coated. June 30th, arm is but little swollen; some small pieces of bone discharged; appetite good; pulse 92; bowels constipated. Compound cathartic pill given, cold-water dressings to wound, and one glass of porter daily. July 10th, arm is improving finely. July 15th, has an attack of diarrhœa; pulse 98; arm looks well; discharge is small. Astringents given. July 20th, diarrhœa checked; appetite good; is able to sit up, and can move the joint. July 24th, is able to walk about; upper opening of the wound entirely healed; discharge slight; pulse 84. July 26th, was up in the morning, feeling unusually well; at five in the afternoon was taken with a chill. July 27th, erysipelas appeared on the right arm—the swelling is considerable, redness extending six inches above and below the elbow; pulse 118; tongue coated light brown. During the day the pulse rose to 130; the redness and swelling extended to the body and down to the wrist. Iron, quinine, and stimulants given; discontinued stimulants at about three P. M., and gave spirits of mindererus and nitric ether, and, locally, lead and opium wash. July 28th, feels the quinine considerably; pulse 120; swelling and redness not much increased; tongue not much coated, red at the edge, and moist. July 29th, redness and swelling has crossed the line of nitrate of silver and extended upon the neck and on the sides; it is somewhat lessened where it first appeared; pulse 116; tongue but little coated, quite red; has severe headache. Tonics and stimulants, quinine in small doses at long intervals; lead and opium wash locally. July 30th, feels better; pulse 108; swelling extending on hand and down back; redness fading along the whole arm. 31st, diminished the stimulant; fingers much swollen; redness and swelling has reached to the hip. August 1st, swelling and redness still extending over the body; has disappeared in the arm; pulse 120 and feeble; tongue still coated; bowels loose. Quinine, iron, and brandy ordered. 2d, redness and swelling extending over abdomen and down on the hips; pulse 112 and a little stronger; tongue moist. 3d, redness and swelling has not extended; pulse 90 and full. 5th, redness disappearing over most of his body, but still extending on the outer margin of its course; pulse 100, a little quicker; tongue quite clean. 6th, redness almost entirely disappeared. 8th, all symptoms of erysipelas have disappeared; the wound discharges some; appetite good. 11th, is able to be up and walk about; but little dressing. 20th, wound has not quite healed up; elbow joint is quite stiff, though he has some motion; uses his arm considerably; appetite good; all medicine discontinued; simple dressing and exercise employed. The patient continued much the same until October 1st, at which time the arm was quite stiff; the patient could not put his hand to his mouth, but could touch his forehead, and could not rotate the hand; he was detailed on duty as mounted orderly at headquarters. He was discharged April 29, 1864, and pensioned." Examiner R. A. Wells, Jefferson City, October 29, 1866, reported: "Wounded by a ball which entered the right arm near the external condyle of the elbow joint, and, passing directly through the joint in a somewhat diagonal direction, escaped about an inch above the internal condyle, evidently fracturing badly the heads of both radius and ulna, * * ; complete anchylosis of said joint; arm bent at nearly a right angle; the entire arm has wasted away to a considerable degree." Examiner A. H. Coffee, of Carthage, September 13, 1869, reported: "Complete anchylosis; atrophy of muscles of arm;" and in September, 1873: "Rotation of arm destroyed." This pensioner was paid December 4, 1874.