From the Richmond Dispatch, 8/1/1864, p.1, c 5

Remarkable Gunshot Wound – We noticed about three weeks since the fact that a tooth which had become embedded in the tongue of Mr. James A. Gentry, a young man from this city, by the force of a ball that struck him in his mouth at the battle of Wilderness, had been extracted, and at the time regarded it as the most remarkable occurrence; but the case which is mentioned below completely lays it in the shade. The same gentleman’s tongue having become still more swollen since the tooth was taken from it than before, he determined to have it again operated on, and accordingly, on Friday last, he called upon Dr. Baylor, of Chimborazo, to perform the job. The doctor at first doubted that there could be anything else in young Gentry’s tongue but believed the inflammation and swelling of that member was caused from the incision which had been made when the tooth was taken out. He, however, inserted an instrument in the mouth and near the roots of his tongue felt some hard substance, which, upon being cut out, proved to be a minie ball. The leaden missile was much battered from contact with Gentry’s teeth (three of which were knocked out by its force) at the time it struck him, about three months since. He describes the operation as a very painful one and says that before it was performed his tongue was swollen in such a manner as to prize his mouth open so that it was impossible to shut it. Dr. Baylor is now satisfied that there is nothing else in this capacious tongue and thinks it will soon be perfectly well.

• Prev
• Next