Civil War Washington

CASE 564.—Private Lewis Vetter, Co. I, 1st New York Artillery, aged 32 years, was wounded at Chancellorsville. May 3, 1863. He remained at the field hospital until the 7th, when he was transferred to Finley Hospital, Washington. Here, Assistant Surgeon William A. Bradley, U. S. A., recorded the injury as a "shot wound of the right side." On June 2nd, the man was transferred to Satterlee Hospital. The following notes of the case appear upon the case-book: "Gunshot wound of the anterior wall of the abdomen; the ball entered about one inch above the crest of the right ilium. The patient states that a portion of omentum protruded about six inches from the wound, and that the protrusion was tied and replaced. The ligature still remains. Sulphate of copper dressings. June 16th, traction on the ligature was commenced by adhesive strips, and water dressings were applied to the wound. On the 18th, the ligature came away. The patient had some diarrhœa on the 19th. On the 20th, cerate dressings were applied." The case appears to have progressed favorably, and on July 27th Vetter was returned to duty. He is not a pensioner.