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Carter Fauntleroy Glocker Vick

Medical Report on R. A. Vick, 43d North Carolina Infantry. Wounded October 19, 1864, Cedar Creek, Virginia.

Private E. A. Vick, Co. E, 43d North Carolina, aged 37 years, received a shot wound of the knee joint, at Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864, and underwent primary amputation at the lower third of the right thigh. On December 19th, he was sent to the hospital at Staunton. On January 1, 1835, the stump had almost cicatrized, but there were apertures through which pus issued. On February 15, 1865, an exploration with a silver probe revealed bone denuded of periosteum and roughened. Another aperture led to a somewhat superficial fistulous track of six or eight inches. It was determined to open the face of the stump, with a view to the removal of the diseased bone. The operation was performed on March 11, 1865, by the surgeon in charge of the hospital. Dr. A. M. Fauntleroy, assisted by Drs. T. W. Glocker and R. K. Carter. Chloroform was administered. A transverse incision was then made over the face of the stump. At the exposed extremity of the femur was a redundant mass of new bone, which was sawn off. It was then found that the carious shaft of the bone was encircled by a soft porous osseous deposit. About six inches of this formation was stript off by the gouge, yet the limits of morbid action had not been reached. An incision on the outer side of the thigh, between the vastus externus and biceps, was extended upward to a point between the great trochanter and the anterior iliac spine, and revealed the fact that the entire femur was diseased. It was now decided to disartic ulate at the hip joint. The femoral artery was compressed upon the pubic bone and interior and posterior flaps were formed, the arteries being secured as they were cut. The loss of blood was trifling. The flaps were brought together by silver sutures, and the stump was dressed with dry lint. As soon as consciousness was restored the patient was freely stimulated, and warmth was applied to the surface of the body; the patient rallied in a few hours. At bed-time the pulse beat 120. On the following morning the patient was doing well. Pulse still the same in quickness and frequency. On March 13th, his condition was satisfactory; his appetite was remarkably good ; he ate soft-boiled eggs and drank largely of rich milk. Suppuration having commenced, cold water was directed to be constantly applied to the stump to lessen the secretion of pus. He was ordered twenty drops of the tincture of the sesquichloride of iron thrice daily, and ten grains of Dover's powder at bed time. Suppuration amounted to half a pint during the day. On March 20, 1865, he was still doing well. Suppuration was diminished in quantity and was laudable. Sutures were removed, and adhesive strips used to support the flaps and maintain them in apposition. Ihe patient's bowels had been regular since the operation. His tongue had at no time been furred. The stump was doing well. The discharge had abated to three or four ounces. March 28th, the progress of the patient was highly favorable. March 29th, the patient s condition was comfortable and favorable; his appetite continued good. The stump along the lower surface seemed to have united firmly; on the side, granulations were healthy; the pus discharged was laudable. On April 24th the face of the stump had entirely healed. There was still a granulating sore at the outer angle. On July 18, 1865, the patient started for his home, near Tarborough, in Edgecomb, North Carolina. He was in excellent health, and walked about on crutches with facility. A year subsequently he was in Lyuchburg, Virginia. Since that date no intelligence has been received from him, and it is not known whether he still survives. Dr. A. M. Fauntleroy, the operator, courteously transmitted to the Surgeon General s Office a photograph of the diseased exarticulated femur, which is copied in the wood-cut (FiG. 121), and the photograph of the patient and of his stump sixteen months after the operation, July, 1866, which is represented in the wood-cut, FiG. 122 [Not Included].


SOURCE: Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. Volume 2, Part 3


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