Title: Douglass, G. E.

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), 358.

Keywords:injuries of pelvisinjuries of parts contained in the pelviswounds of the genital organswounds of the urethrashots woundstraumatic stricturestricture resulting from shot woundsball entered near os pubis, passed backward, wounded urethra, exited through buttock near anusdifficulty voiding urinewalking caused inflammation of parts injuredgunshot wound of urethra, disability three-fourthsball entered root of penis adjacent to symphysis pubis, passed through pelvis, wounded urethracatheterism rendered necessarydysuria, dull pains through pelvisabscesses gather and break, discharging bloody matter from urethrasoreness and tenderness of testis, pain extending along spermatic cord to abdomenmicurition difficult and painfulbulb of urethra and prostate gland wounded, and that there is constant and increasinginflammation in prostate, which suppurates and discharges every month or twounable to stand without pain in urethraretention of urine, uses catheter, urine frequently contains pus

Civil War Washington ID: med.d2e36050

TEI/XML: med.d2e36050.xml


CASE 1033.—Private G. E. Douglass, Co. E, 157th New York, aged 29 years, was wounded at Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863, and was sent to Washington to St. Aloysius Hospital. He was transferred, October 17th, to Harewood Hospital. Acting Assistant Surgeon C. F. Trautmann reported from Harewood: "A minié ball entered near the left os pubis, and, passing directly backward, wounding in its course the urethra, made its exit through the right buttock about an inch and a half from the anus. When admitted the wound was healed, but the patient had difficulty in voiding urine, and was not able to walk any distance without causing inflammation of the parts injured." He was discharged for gunshot wound of the urethra, disability three-fourths, and was pensioned. Examiner B. Smith, Washington, reported, December 28, 1863: "Ball entered the root of the penis to the left of the symphysis pubis, and passed through the pelvis, wounding the urethra. Catheterism was rendered necessary for about four months; some constriction of the canal remains, as he frequently has dysuria, and dull pains through the pelvis. A stricture may ultimately result from the injury and entitle him to an increased pension." On March 12, 1866, Examiner H.C. Gazlay reported: * * "The wound has healed externally, but abscesses gather and break as often as once in six weeks, discharging bloody matter from the urethra, accompanied by severe pains. This pensioner has also soreness and tenderness of the left testis, and much pain, at times, extending along the spermatic cord to the abdomen; also heat and swelling of the testis during each occasion of the formation of pus. At these times micurition is difficult and painful." Examiner J. W. Lawrence, September 30, 1869, states that the bulb of the urethra and the prostate gland were wounded, and that there is constant and increasing inflammation in the prostate, which will suppurate and then discharge every month or two, but is never, entirely well. The last report of this case is from Examiner C. H. Evans, and is dated September 11, 1873: "The wounded man is unable to assume a standing position for a long time without severe pain in the urethra. He has an occasional attack of retention of urine and is obliged to use the catheter. His urine frequently contains pus."