Letter of the Day, March 12 (1 of 3)

Both our Museum and the Mutter still survive, although I don’t think most of these specimens that they sent us do.

 

College of Physicians of Philadelphia

13^th and Locust Streets

March 12^th 1868

 

George A. Otis, M.D.

Asst. Surgeon U.S. Army.

 

Dear Sir,

 

I have this day forwarded by Express to Washington two (2) boxes containing specimens for the Army Museum.

 

They are sent as exchanges. It being understood that you will send in exchange duplicates from the Army Museum collection.

 

The boxes contain

 

25 specimens of Urinary concretions, [human], analyzed.

8 specimens of Biliary concretions

7 specimens of concretions from stomachs of lower animals (horse and cow)

2 Ovarian Tumors [one a unicolular, one a mulitlocular cyst]

5 Casts of Club Feet [one of valgus [corrected to varus] one of valgus [corrected to varus] cured, one of Equinus, one of Equinus cured , one of Equinus [corrected to varus] in plaster.

 

The following cast of Bones

 

4 Femurs with absorption of head.

4 Femurs with fracture of neck.

1 Femur with Fracture of shaft.

1 Humerus with fracture of anatomical neck.

1 Ilium with a secondary acetabulum occasioned by an unreduced luxation.

 

The following Horse Bones.

 

1 Vertebrae having exostosis [in one box]

A portion of vertebrae with some ribs attached.

1 Pelvis

1 Portion of Pelvis

2 Scapula showing bony deposit in cartilage occasioned by age

97 Diseased bones of the extremities of the horse.

 

The urinary calculi have all been carefully analyzed and each specimen marked accordingly.

 

The unilocular cyst of R. Ovary was not adherent. The tumor was removed March 21 1866 by ovarectomy. The patient was 19 years old. Duration of disease 7 (seven) years. She first menstruated at 12 years of age, after which he had an attack of mumps which suddenly disappeared and was followed by the appearance of the ovarian tumor. The operation was performed by Dr. Washington L. Atlee and was successful.

 

The multilocular ovarian tumor was taken from a patient 20 years old, unmarried, Duration of disease was one (1) year. She was tapped April 16 1866 and a deep chocolate coloured fluid drawn off. The operation for extirpation was performed May 23 1866 by Dr. Washington L. Atlee. The tumors had strong adhesion and the operation was unsuccessful.

 

Very respectfully

Thomas Hewson Bache, M.D.

Curator [Mutter Museum]

 

Note on letters says: Acknowledged March 16

The Biliary Calculi & gastric collections was turned over to Dr. Woodward.