Civil War Washington

CASE 268.—Private T. W. Clohosy, Co. B, 72d Pennsylvania, aged 28 years, was wounded at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863, by a conoidal ball, which entered the abdomen about three inches to the left of the umbilicus, and made its exit one inch to the left of the first lumbar vertebra. He states that he soon recovered from the shock, and walked a considerable distance to the field hospital. There was no hæmorrhage, but the contents of the intestines passed freely through the posterior wound for about fifteen days and then gradually ceased. The appearance of the discharge bore a great resemblance to condensed milk, and became gradually thinner until it finally ceased. The bowels were moved regularly every day. On August 7th, he was transferred to the Camp Letterman Hospital. When admitted he was quite convalescent. August 11th, health good; wounds closed. August 31st, since the last date the patient has enjoyed good health, and has suffered little or no inconvenience from the wound. [The above information appears upon an unsigned medical descriptive list from Camp Letterman Hospital.] On September 4th, he was transferred to the Convalescent Hospital, Philadelphia. He remained in the hospitals of that city until May, 1864, when he was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps and sent to Washington. He was finally discharged from service December 5, 1864, and pensioned. Pension Examiner John Neill, of Philadelphia, reports, April 21, 1869: "The ball entered the abdomen four inches to the left of the umbilicus, and escaped one-half inch from the spine and one-and-one-half inches above the superior posterior spine of the ilium. Since his discharge the wounds have both reopened, and fæces has been discharged from the posterior orifice. The pensioner now suffers from hæmorrhoids and phthisis. He will not live long." Under date of January 10, 1870, Pensioner Examiner J. H. Cantrell, of Philadelphia, states: "I attended Thomas Clohosy from September 10, 1868, until October 21, 1869, when he died in the city of Philadelphia. The immediate and sole cause of his death was from a gunshot wound, which struck over the stomach but did not penetrate that organ, but did penetrate the descending colon, and came out about one inch from the spine."