SM

Specimen 17

Civil war specimen

Forearm. Lower two-thirds of left forearm. Amputation was performed for gangrene/ulceration of wrist following removal of middle finger (FIG. 1, bone stump at amputation site).

FIG. 1

The patient was injured at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863 and entered the hospital on July 9. The first surgery was an amputation of the middle finger. Gangrene with ulceration of the wrist and associated hemorrhage necessitated amputation of the lower forearm on July 29. The patient died from “exhaustion” on August 19.

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