Injuries of nerves and their consequences - Reflex Sympathetic ...

204 INJURIES OF NERVES.
f
most constant and curious quiverino;^ while, strangely
enough, every one of them is perfectly responsive to in-,
duced currents. The iirst electric application at once
restored partial volitional control, and he is now rapidly
improving.
The following case is a good illustration of tonic spasm :
Case 34.— Shell bruise of right brachial nerves ; slight loss of
motion ; ionic spasm of the flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi
ulnaris, and palmaris longiis, causing violent flexion of wrist;
analgesia well marked ; no loss of tactility ; sections of tendons ;
relief. Lawrence Monaghan, aged twenty-six, machinist,
Kentucky, enlisted January, 18G3, and had been previously
in the nine months' service. At Chancellorsville,
May 3, 1863, he was struck by a fragment of shell on the
outside of the right arm, seven inches above the external
condyle. It merely scratched the skin, but bruised the
subjacent parts severely and extensively. Wheu hit, he
was lying down, leaning on the left elbow. He felt
nauseated; the arm dropped with general weakness and
numbness, and with slightly impaired sensation. The
wound swelled and grew bhick and red, being bruised
from the shoulder to the middle forearm.
At first the pain limited movement, but in two months
the motions of the arm were much better throughout.
Sensation also improved, but was never quite perfect.
About the second week, and while the arm was in a
sling, on a pad, the wrist began to flex. The surgeon's
attention being called to it, he put
it on a splint and
bandaged it down but after four weeks this treatment
;
was abandoned on account of the pain, and also because
it
proved useless. After this, liniments to the arm were
used, but the flexion went on. Then, as the arm grew
stronger, the contraction relaxed ; and, finally,
he was
mustered out of service. Re-enlisted August loth. Company
A, 10th New Jersey Volunteers.