Title: Moran, M.

Source text: The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. (1861-65.), Part 2, Volume 2 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1876), 76.

Keywords:injuries of the abdomenpenetrating wounds of the abdomenwounds of the large intestinespunctured and incised woundsincised wound of descending colon without protrusionenteroraphy unsuccessfully practiced³stabbed in affray in campdirk knife penetrated abdominal cavity in iliac regiongeneral inflammatory reactionwound of walls of descending colonperitonitissymptoms combated by small bleeding from armgeneral anesthesia, chloroform

Civil War Washington ID: med.d2e31581

TEI/XML: med.d2e31581.xml


CASE 234.—Corporal M. Moran, Co. H, 111th Pennsylvania, aged 22 years, was stabbed July 26, 1865, in an affray in camp, near Washington, and was taken to the regimental hospital. It was ascertained that a dirk knife had penetrated the abdominal cavity, in the left iliac region. The following day the patient was taken to Lincoln Hospital. The wound in the abdomen was inflamed, the lips red and swollen. A general inflammatory reaction had set in, the patient having been in perfect health at the time of receiving the wound. Chloroform was administered, and Acting Assistant Surgeon W. E. Roberts enlarged the wound in the parietes by an incision one and a half inches long. This fully exposed an oblique wound of the walls of the descending colon. The intestine was drawn down, and the division of its tunics was closed by six points of interrupted suture. Symptoms of peritonitis were combated by a small bleeding from the arm, and by full doses of opium, with cold applications and poultices to the abdomen. The progress of the case was not favorably modified, and death resulted, July 19, 1865, thirteen days from the reception of the wound.


³ 1. Dr. A. POST has, in the reports of the New York Hospital (The Annalist, 1846, Vol. I, p. 26), a case of a stab wound with protrusion of the descending colon, in which a longitudinal incision an inch long was successfully united by two sutures, and the bowel returned. A prophylactic blister was applied, a practice originating, according to Dr. POST, with the late Dr. BORROWE, to which the happiest effects were ascribed. 2. Drs. MASON and WHITNEY, of Prairie du Chien, describe (Chicago Med. Exam., 1867, Vol. VIII, p. 21) a dirk wound of the transverse colon, with protrusion, and division of a large branch of the colica media. Two ligatures were placed on the divided artery, and the intestinal wound was united by the glovers' suture, the serous surfaces being carefully approximated. Complete recovery in four weeks. 3. Dr. J. P. CHESNEY (Cincinnati Med. Repertory, 1869, Vol. II, p. 335) records a successful case of enteroraphy in a stab in the descending colon, with protrusion; the intestinal wound, an inch long, was closed by the glovers' suture.