Portions of humerus removed for an ununited fracture after gunshot wound
Description:
Case history:From an unidentified soldier whose arm was shattered by gunshot in mid-April 1862. Immediately after the injury fragments were removed from the arm, the ends of the fractured bone were sawed off, and fit together. After six months without union, the bones were sawed again and subsequently wired together, but without effect. The soldier entered Massachusetts General Hospital on November 3, 1865. At that time the arm swung freely without pain. Surgeon Henry Jacob Bigelow removed three more pieces of bone with a trephine, scraped the interiors with a gouge, wired the two sections together, and splinted the arm exterior. No union occurred. On March 1, 1866 Bigelow performed a second operation with further bone removal and wiring resulting in a stiffening of arm, but patient fell on June 10, 1866 and re-broke the humerus. On January 12, 1867 a third operation was performed with further wiring resulting in paralysis of the upper arm, although no nerve was known to be severed. This operation resulted in union of the fracture but the paralysis continued. The post-operative arm was seven inches shorter than the patient's healthy arm. Inscription: Historical tag "1008 Civil War" attched to preparation; "Civil War 1008 12-3 [MH or WH]" written on the underside of the base in pencil. Seven fragments of humeral bone and a silver wire mounted on a black wooden base wire.
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