Civil War Washington

CASE 1086.—Private C. A. Maxon, Co. C, 130th New York, aged 23 years, was admitted into David's Island Hospital, New York Harbor, November 15, 1863, with atony of the bladder. Acting Assistant Surgeon J. L. Van Norden reported: "The patient was below the medium size, and of healthy appearance. He stated that since his earliest recollection he had experienced at intervals a want of power in the bladder to expel its contents, and that there never was sufficient contractile power to enable him to throw his water any distance. After a march of two days, some six months since, he arrived at Yorktown in an exhausted condition; says that he first came to himself on the boat going to Washington when he found that he had been insensible for five days. At this period his urine was drawn by catheter for the first time. Arriving in Washington, he was placed in barracks, where he had retention of urine for two days. He was then sent to Judiciary Square Hospital, where, a day after his arrival, a number of surgeons tried to relieve him by catheterization. Failing in this attempt, puncture of the bladder was advised, when the patient requested to be allowed to try the introduction of the catheter. This being granted, he forced the instrument in and drew off the contents of the bladder. Since then he has not been able to pass his water without a catheter, which he uses thrice daily. On examination, a false passage was found, but a No. 12 sound could be passed without difficulty. The urine flowed from the bladder without force; the passage of instruments is followed by considerable constitutional disturbance, depriving him of sleep the night following their use. On November 22d, the patient had facial erysipelas, for which tincture of iron was prescribed. under this treatment the disease, which had surrounded and partly closed the right eye quite disappeared by the 26th. The urine was still passed by the catheter on November 29th." This man was discharged the service January 29, 1864, for "stricture of the urethra and false passage." He is not a pensioner.