Civil War Washington

CASE 25.—Assistant Surgeon R. S. Vickery, 2d Michigan, aged 33 years, was wounded at Petersburg, July 30, 1864, and admitted to the field hospital of the 3d division, Ninth Corps. Surgeon P. A. O'Connell, U. S. V., reported: "Gunshot wound of upper third of left thigh by minié ball; ligation of femoral artery performed by Surgeon W. B. Fox, 8th Michigan." From the field hospital the patient was moved to City Point, and subsequently to New York. Assistant Surgeon J. E. Semple, U. S. V. reported his admission to the Officers' Hospital, Bedloe's Island, August 25th, with "flesh wound involving direct injury to the large artery of the thigh." In January following, the invalid was transferred to Armory Square Hospital, Washington, where he was discharged from service March 11, 1865. Examiner J. Nichols, of Washington, certified, March 24, 1865: "Gunshot wound of left thigh, inner aspect, upper third, ball severing femoral artery. Limb much atrophied and shrunk away almost to the bone; leg partially flexed upon the thigh; inability to extend it. Great danger of secondary hæmorrhage from the artery, which requires a long time for restoration. Limb perfectly useless; prognosis doubtful—may yet have to be amputated." Dr. Vickery was a pensioner until May 14, 1867, when he was appointed Assistant Surgeon in the regular army. Dr. F. H. Hamilton states (Appendix to Treatise on Military Surgery and Hygiene, 1865, p. 640) that in this case "the bleeding was arrested temporarily by a tourniquet, and three hours afterwards Surgeon Fox, of the 8th Michigan, enlarged the wound and tied the femoral both above and below the seat of injury."