Daniel Rich

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Medical Historical Library, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library > Daniel Rich


15831253

Description

Title
Daniel Rich
Creator
Harewood General Hospital
Photographer unidentified
Contributor
Bontecou, Reed Brockway, 1824-1907
Daniel Rich
Harewood General Hospital
Reed B. (Brockway) Bontecou 1824-1907
Published / Created
1865
Publication Place
Washington, D.C.
Description
Daniel Rich, Co, B, 55th Pennsylvania Vols., aged 21 years, wounded at the battle of Pocotoligo, Oct. 22nd and admitted to Hospital No. 1, Beaufort, S.C., Oct. 24th, 1862, with gunshot wound of the chest, the ball entering at the sterno-clavicular articulation of the right side, and lodging in one of the upper dorsal vertebræ producing paralysis. He spit blood in small quantities at the moment of injury, but walked to the place of embarkation, a distance of five or six miles. He was obliged to lie on his back, and had lost power in both arms, to some extent.
DANIEL RICH.
Dec. 1st, 1862. Rich has been walking around the ward since the 20th of November, and complains only of a feeling of stiffness in his spine and upper extremities. He walks as if all the parts above the pelvis were ossified together. Yesterday a small piece of bone came out of the opening over the sternum, it was evidently a portion of the sternum, and was of the size of a ten cent piece. The three openings discharge but little, and are filled with very flabby granulations, which were penciled with argent. nitras. A cerate cloth is kept to the wounds.
Dec. 20th. Rich has been doing very well since last report, sitting up much of the time, and occasionally walking about the room. Erysipelatous inflammation appeared to day on the chest.
Dec. 27th. The erysipelas has successively invaded chest, left arm, shoulder and back, but is now disappearing. Very little discharge from the wounds, which are, however, not healed. There still remains an immobility of the spine and arms, which prevents him helping himself much.
Dec. 28th. Sent to northern hospital, per steamer "Star of the South."
Nov. 18th. The poultice was discontinued yesterday, and cerate dressings ordered. He can now move his arms somewhat, and sits up an hour or two daily. Cough disappeared suddenly, a week since. I think it was when he first set up, and thus allowed the matter to run out that this symptom disappeared. Discharge is now very slight and healthy.
Nov. 25th, Excitement of vascular system less, the medicine had sickened him, and acted on the bowels. A poultice was ordered and medicine to be continued, with low diet. Decuhitus dorsal and arms laying by his side helpless, or rather unable to move them without pain in the shoulder, his spine seems perfectly rigid and in being raised to take his food which he does in a chair, he allows no one to touch him anywhere but the head, and thus as a stick, is lifted into the upright position. The cervical vertebræ are tender to the touch as are also the upper dorsal vertebræ.
Nov. 26th. Much in same condition, antimony continued, low diet and poultice to wound.
Oct. 27th. Respiration easy; pulse nearly natural; wound suppurating. Antimony discontinued, and ordered half diet, he feeling hungry. Continued in much the same condition until 31st inst., when the soft parts covering the upper part of the sternum had become red and fluctuated quite distinct. The discharge could, with some difficulty, be forced out of the wound on the left side, but did not do so without assistance. I therefore made a free incision in this, and gave the discharge vent. An opening into the chest through the sternum was apparent to the finger introduced through the wound. He being a little feverish again, spts. mindererus was ordered, 3 ss, every three hours. A coarse rattle annoyed him very much, but subsided under that treatment. The new wound, as well as the others, discharges freely, good pus, and he is doing well at this date, 4th, but the stiffness of spine and inability to move the arms remain.
When admitted here, his face was flushed and dusky, coarse rhales were audible in his bronchia, and accelerated pulse, evidently some inflammatory mischief going on in the lungs or bronchia. Ordered tart. ant., 1/8 gr. every four hours; low diet, and wet dressings to wound. I did not deem it advisable to bleed, as his wound, he said, had bled much ever since his injury.
Extent
7.5 in. x 5.5 in. (approximate) oval mounted on 11 in. x 9 in. board
Language
English

Collection Information

Repository
Medical Historical Library, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library
Collection Title
Binder's Title: Gunshot Wounds Illustrated

Subjects, Formats, And Genres

Format
still image
Genre
Albumen Print
Resource Type
Prints & Photographs
Subject (Geographic)
Washington, D.C
Subject (Name)
Bontecou, Reed Brockway, 1824-1907
Daniel Rich
Harewood General Hospital
Reed B. (Brockway) Bontecou 1824-1907
Subject (Topic)
Chest—Wounds and injuries
Medical photography—patients
Medical photography—United States—19th century
United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Medical and sanitary affairs

Access And Usage Rights

Access
Public
Rights
The use of this image may be subject to the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) or to site license or other rights management terms and conditions. The person using the image is liable for any infringement

Identifiers

Object ID (OID)
15831253

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