A report of surgical cases treated in the Army of the United States from 1865 to 1871 / War Department, Surgeon General's Office.

Date:
1871
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A report of surgical cases treated in the Army of the United States from 1865 to 1871 / War Department, Surgeon General's Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    Fractures of the Bones, of the Face.—Special reports were made of five cases of fractures of the bones of the face. Pour of the patients went to duty, and one, with a complicated fracture of the lower jaw, was discharged. OOCOVIII.—Account of an Injury of the Head and Face,, with Fracture of the Ualar Bone. By James P. Kimball, Assistant Surgeou, U. S. A. Private E. Gibson, Oo. F, 31st Tnfautry, aged 2G years, while at work in a saw mill. May 5, 18G8, 11 o'clock A. M., at Fort Bnford, Dakota Territory, was strnck by a skid three inches in diameter, suddenly thrown up by a heavy log falling upon one end of it. The blow was received upon the left side of the face and head, fracturing the left malar bone, severely contusing the cheek and scalp, cutting the upper lij) against the teeth, and causing concussion of the brain. When first examined, fifteen minutes after the reception of the injury, he was insensible, the pulse was barely perceptible, the pupils were contracted, and the countenance of a deathly pallor. He was imme- diately carried to the post hospital at Fort Bnford, sinapisms were applied to the feet, warmth and friction to the anus and legs, and ammonia held to the nostrils. After a vigorous use of these measures, for nearly half an hour, the patient evinced signs of reanimation, and soon after vomited, and at the expiration of an hour he was able to speak and to move the extremities. The pulse was 90 per miiuite, soft and weak. Oloths, wet in cold water, were constantly applied to the contused portions of the head and face, and i^erfect quiet was enjoined. At 5 o'clock P. M. the patient remained sensible, and could move without diflflculty. The pulse was 85 per minute, and soft. He had severe pain in the occiput. The left eye was entirely closed by the swollen tissues, Avhich were deeply ecchymosed. On May C, 1868, at 8 o'clock A. M., the pupils were normal, responding readily to light. The pulse was 80 -per minute, soft but stronger. Cloths, wet in a mixture of zinc, camphor, and water, were applied. At 5 o'clock P. M. the pain in the head was very severe. He vomited several times during the day. The pulse was 85, and soft. A sinapism was api)lied to the pit of the stomach. On May 7, 1808, the pulse was 78, full and moderately strong. He urinated freely. The head and face were kept wet with an evaporating lotion of hjdrochlorate of ammonia and water. On May 8th the ionise was 72, and of natural strength. The swelling of the soft i)arts had diminished. On May 11th the pulse was 72. The tongue was lightly coated. The swelling and ecchymosis had diminished. The cold applications were dis- continued. The patient continued to improv^e under tonics and nourishing diet, and was able, on May 10th, to sit up. On May 20th the ecchymosis had nearly gone, and the deformity of the cheek was very slight. The patient improved steadily, and on June 2, 1808, was free from i)ain and vertigo, and, on June 3d, he was returned to duty. CCCCIX.—Remarhs on a Case of Fracture of the Loioer Jaw. By Elliott Coues, Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A. Private William Bowers, Co. E, 3d Artillery, aged 24 years, received, on April 20, 1808, a compound comminuted fracture of the lower jaw, left side, by a kick of a horse. On the following day he was admitted to the post hospital at Columbia, South Carolina. The case was complicated by extensive laceration of the soft parts over both the up]3er and lower jaw, and i)robable slight fracture of the alveolar process of the superior maxilla. Union was delayed by the successive detachment of spicnl.ie recpiiring removal. No proper splint could be adopted to the case, nor was the fitting of one deemed advisable, in view of the condition of the soft parts. A simple bandage was used with good results. [He was returned to duty May 6, 1808.—Ed.] CCCCX.—IJote 011 a Fracture of the Lower Jau-. By J. V. D. Middleton, Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A. Private Eobert Pye, Troop B, 4th Cavalry, aged 27 years, received, on February 0, 1808, at Camp Verde, Texas, a compound fracture of the lower jaw from the kick of a horse. He was admitted to the i)ost hospital, where two pieces of bone were removed. Carbolic acid and linseed oil, with sling bandages, were applied. The man was returned to duty in July, 1808.