Civil War Washington

CASE 628.—Major Jacob Scheu, 7th New York, aged 34 years, was admitted from City Point to Armory Square Hospital on May 7, 1865, for a shot perforation of the pelvis, received at South Side Railroad on May 2d. A conoidal musket ball had entered three inches below the centre of the crest of the right ilium, passed through the pelvis anterior to the sacrum, and emerged at a corresponding point on the opposite side. On admission, he suffered intense pain; there was incontinence of urine and paralysis, but increased sensitiveness of the lower extremities, with slight contraction of the extensor muscles of the foot. The wound had nearly closed, but suppuration had taken place along nearly its whole length. After enlarging each wound slightly, several loose pieces of bone were removed from both, and an abscess beneath the gluteal muscles was evacuated. Perfect rest was enjoined; poultices were applied; stimulants and anodynes administered. The patient was transferred to De Camp Hospital on August 18th. By September 15th, he was improved; there was a slight discharge from both wounds, and the atrophied limbs could easily be moved about in bed. This officer was discharged the service on April 18, 1866. He was subsequently a patient of Dr. Charles A. Leale, who states, November 14, 1867: "The patient has good use of his limbs and can walk easily; he has slight paralysis of one leg."