Civil War Washington

CASE 1781.—Colonel S. S. Carroll, 8th Ohio, was wounded at Spottsylvania​, May 12, 1864. Surgeon J. L. Brenton, of the regiment, recorded the injury as follows: "Gunshot wound of left arm; resection of radius." The patient entered the field hospital of the 2d division, Second Corps, where Surgeon J. F. Dyer, 19th Massachusetts, recorded: "Wound of left elbow; cold-water dressings." In a report to the Medical Director of the Army of the Potomac, dated November 4, 1864, Surgeon A. N. Dougherty, U. S. V., Medical Director Second Corps, makes mention of this case as follows: "Colonel Carroll was wounded by a minié ball, which traversed the left elbow. He was brought to the hospital near Alsop's Mills, where I saw him. Before any examination of the injury (which was of course made under chloroform) he insisted that an effort should be made to save the arm, and I assented. The head of the radius was comminuted and the anterior surface of the ulna, including, as I thought, the coronoid process, was broken. I enlarged the wound with the scalpel; with the chain saw I removed the head of the radius, and with the forceps I picked out whatever loose spiculæ of bone presented themselves; then having the wounds patulous, I put up the arm in a hollow obtuse angle splint. After a very exhausting operation, and irritative fever lasting all summer, and accompanied by bed-sores and great emaciation, he is, as I learn by recent advices, recovering slowly but satisfactorily. The wounds are still uncicatrized, and there is complete anchylosis of the joint. He was confined to bed almost three months since he left; since that time he has gained greatly in strength and weight." Colonel Carroll was promoted Brigadier General, U. S. V., on Jun 14, 1864, and mustered out June 15, 1866. Subsequently he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 21st Infantry, and on June 9, 1869, he was retired from active service with the rank of Major General. Surgeon B. Norris, U. S. A., was requested to report the result in this case, and had the kindness to furnish the following memorandum: "I have read the narrative of the case of Major-General​ S. S. Carroll, U. S. Army, retired, and can only add that he was under my care, at his mother's house in Washington, D. C., two or three months after the operation of resection of the head of the radius was performed on the field by Surgeon Dougherty. Erysipelas supervened and extended up the arm and over the shoulder, and for two years after he suffered pain and occasionally abscesses, and particles of necrosed bone were discharged. I meet him frequently in the city and at his house in Montgomery county, Maryland. The elbow joint is completely anchylosed. He has use of the wrist joint and of the hand and fingers unimpaired. He can hold the fork firmly in carving at table, and says the arm is invaluable."