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

LESIONS OF SPECIAL NERVES. 319
enlisted July, 1861, Company C, llOth Pennsylvania
Volunteers. He was perfectly healthy before and after
enlisting, until wounded at Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863.
He was standing erect, and was looking toward the left
side, when a ball entered his right neck, one and a half
inches behind the ramus of the jaw at the anterior edge
of the sterno-cleido-raastoid muscle. The ball passed
across the neck, rising a little, and emerged immediately
below, and a half inch in front of the angle of the jaw on
the left side. He fell senseless, and, judging from the
movements of his regiment, may have so remained during
half an hour. On awaking he found his mouth full of
slotted blood, which he pulled out. The bleeding had
ceased. After a short rest he was able to walk nearly
three miles to the rear, where his wounds were dressed
with cold water. On his way he discovered that his
speech had become hoarse, difficult, and painful, and
that deglutition gave rise to great uneasiness and to
burning pains. He says the sensation of pain was felt as
though behind the pomum Adami. After five days of
great suflf'ering and utter inability to swallow, he obtained
some relief; but for a month or more was forced to take
a little water after every mouthful of solid food. The
power to swallow gradually improved, and is now as good
xis it ever was.
A week after being wounded, he was able to articulate
without pain, although hoarsely. This difficulty also lessened
by slow degrees. At present, July, 1863, his voice
is still a little hoarse. During his recovery, which was
rapid, the wounds healing within six weeks, he had a
good deal of pain in the back of the neck. He says that
he had headache, whenever after the injury he attempted
to walk far, or exert himself; but he describes the headache
as cliiefl}'
behind the right ear and in the back of
the head, with some frontal pain. About one month after