Cachexia

[lelliott19]

Cachexia - involuntary weight loss, muscle wasting, and fatigue which is often caused by a complex interplay of factors such as inflammation, metabolic changes, and/or hormonal imbalance. It can be a complication of chronic disease such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, etc. In some cases, cachexia can be caused by malnutrition resulting from insufficient food intake.

James M Hawkins Company I, 24th Georgia enlisted August 24, 1861 at Hall County, GA as a Sergeant, assistant commissary. He was mustered into service September 1, 1861. He was admitted to CSA General Hospital, Danville Virginia on June 20, 1862 for "Cachexia." During his hospitalization he was elected and appointed Lieut. October 1, 1862. It turns out, Lieut. Hawkins' weight loss and muscle wasting was a result of Typhoid Fever and chronic diarrhea. It must have been pretty serious because he was discharged from service October 21, 1862. But Lieutenant Hawkins did not go home. He returned to duty November 1, 1862 and was wounded in the leg at Gettysburg July 2, 1863 -- but recovered again and returned to duty. He was killed at the Wilderness May 6, 1864.