Specimen 4

04 fracture civil war specimen

Humerus. Comminuted fracture of lower half of right humerus just above the elbow.

Gunshot fracture was sustained at Second Bull Run on August 30, 1862. The patient was admitted to the hospital on September 1 and amputation was performed on September 6. He recovered completely in 3 weeks.

Excerpt from The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion

Private G. Halsey, Co. D, 26th New York, aged 19 years, was wounded in the right arm, at Bull Run, August 30, 1862. On September 1st, he was admitted to the Mount Pleasant Hospital, Washington. Medical Cadet E. Coues reported:

"The patient, a remarkably strong, well developed, and healthy man, was admitted on September 1st. Amputation was performed on September 6th., by circular method, at the middle third, by Assistant Surgeon C. A. McCall, U.S.A. Not a single untoward symptom, locally or constitutionally, occurred, and the stump was completely healed in about three weeks."

The specimen (Fig 538) consists of "The lower half of the right humerus, completely shattered for four and a half inches. The upper portion of the bones of the forearm are attached." The patient was discharged from service on November 24, 1862, and pensioned. In his application for commutation for an artificial arm, dated 1870, he stated that the "stump had very much perished away." The pensioner was paid on June 4, 1875.

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