The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-03-08
MISCELLANY.
CHASTITY RELICS.
Cnriosities Exhibited at the Array Museum
at Washington


at Washington.
In the Army Medical Museum, says the
Washington Star, there are now over 1000
surgical specimens, 1000 under the head of
anatomical, $500 comparative anatomy,
6, 900 microscopical, and thousand or two
of a miscellaneous character. These are all
neatly numbered and in few minutes, by
reference to the catalogues, a fun history of
any case may be had. There are, as may
be expected, many specimens serving as ex-
amples of bad surgery. Many of the speci-
mems have an historical interest attached to
them. To the outsiders the attendants are
not allowed to give information or to point
out particular cases, giving the names of
the individual, but when specific inquiry is
made the specimen is cheerfully pointed
out. Probably those which are asked for
more than others are the relics of John
Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lin
coin. On a little stand mounted on wire,
| labelled 4,0S6) are the three human vertcs
brse (the third, fourth, and ffth), through
an aperture in which thin wire is placed,
showing the course of the ball. Near this,
in wide-mouth vial, labelled 4,0s6, is sus-
pended in alcohol piece of white matter
about three inches long, through which is
an opening Referring to the catalogue
under the head of 4,0s6 is the following -
The third, fourth and fifth ceryical verte-
brse A conoitial carbine ball entered the
right side, committing the base of the
right lamina of the fourth vetebrse fractur-
ing it longitudinally aud separating it from
the spinous process ut the same time frac-
turing the fifth through its pedicle and in
volving that transverse process. The mis-
sile passed directly through the canal, with a
slight inclination downward, and to the rear,
emerging through the left bases of the
fourth and fifth lamine, which are commin-
bedded in the muscles of the neck The
lullet in its course avoided the large cervi-
cal vessels. From a case where death oc-
cured in few hours after injury, April 26,
1867 No. 1857 has this entry -" A
portion of the spinal cord from the ceryica
region, transyersely perforated from right
20 left by carbine bullet which fractured
tire lamina of the fourth and fifth vertebr.e
he cord is much torn and discolored 10y
blood. From case where death occurred
few hours after the injury, April 2G
1861 y These are all the remains of Booth
now above ground, so far as known. By a
strange freak of fate they are now on exhi-
bition in the very building where he had
/ often appeared before delighted audiences
and where the tragedy in which he perform
ed only too well the role of assassin was en-
acted, Not far away is the spot to which
Booths body was taken after its disinter-
ment at the arsenal four years later, and
where il was placed in coffin before its re-
moval to the family LOT of BOOTHS in Balt-
more.
Another specimen, No. 1928, is the lower
portion of a right leg, both bones, the tiola
and fbula, having been fearfully shattered
by n round shot, The entry shows that it
Is from Major General d. 2. s., q. 3. Y,
Gettysburg, July 2. 1868, amputated by
Surgeon T. Sim; that the stump healed
rapidly, SO that he mounted his horse in
September, 1868, and that the specimen
was contributed by the subject. The read
er will, of course, recognize this as the
leg given to his country by General d. T.,
Sickles.
Another specimen is the forearm of Henry
Wirz, of Andersonville notoriety, who was
executed in the old Capitol Prison, Novem-
Der 10, 1865, and near it is a small bone
from the root of the tongue aud a small por-
ton of the rope with which he was hanged.
The first of these specimens (the bones of
of the forearm) shows that instead of Wirz
having had fractured arm which had not
united, rendering it impossible to use re-
volver Gas was testified by witnesses for the
defence). the ball passed between the
two bones of the forearm, and the flesh
wound only disabled him. The bones of
the neck showing that it was not broken in
the hanging and the fesh of the neck show
ing whore the knot cut through the skin are
near by. These specimens are numbered
299. 300 30l and SOP.