Need help with medical term, please

[John Hartwell]

Peter McCowan, Co. D, 15th Mass., was captured at Antietam on Sept. 17th. Following his parole and exchange he was unable to return to duty. The following March, he received a certificate of discharge, giving the cause of his disability:

I cannot figure out the first word of that description:

"--?-- spinalis with sympathetic nephritis. Permanent disability."​

Can anyone please help?

I'm having some difficulty tracing this man, because of the great variety of ways in which his name appears in official records: McCowan, McCune, McKeon, McKuhn, McKown, etc. He, himself was illiterate, so he probably didn't much care how anybody spelled it --- as long as the paymaster could find him.

 

[lelliott19]

Irrilatio spinalis with sympathetic nephritis - Permanent disability.

Irrilatio is Latin for provocation, stimulation, or irritation.
spinalis is Latin belonging to the spine; spinal
sympathetic nephritis is kidney trouble thought to be induced by another disease

The diagnosis on the Surgeon's Certificate of Disability is kidney disease brought about by the irritation/inflammation of the spine. Back then, they thought that irritation of the spine could cause a lot of other diseases.

 

[Brian Downey]

Peter McCowan, Co. D, 15th Mass., was captured at Antietam on Sept. 17th ...
I'm having some difficulty tracing this man, because of the great variety of ways in which his name appears in official records: McCowan, McCune, McKeon, McKuhn, McKown, etc. He, himself was illiterate, so he probably didn't much care how anybody spelled it --- as long as the paymaster could find him.

Probably the best name for him is Peter McKeown. Born in Ireland c. 1841, died Millburn, MA of a broken spine (!) in 1887 at age 46. Buried in St Brigid's there. Married with 5 children. Details from Susan Harnwell at her excellent 15th Mass site.

 

[John Hartwell]

Probably the best name for him is Peter McKeown. Born in Ireland c. 1841, died Millbury, MA of a broken spine (!) in 1887 at age 46. Buried in St Brigid's there. Married with 5 children. Details from Susan Harnwell at her excellent 15th Mass site.

Yes, his descendants seem to have settled on McKeown, though the spelling doesn't show up during his lifetime. It probably best approximated how he would have pronounced it.

And, Roster and Genealogies of the 15th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry is an outstanding website, I've never seen another quite like it.
Every regiment should have a Susan Harnwell chronicling its members!

 

[Cavalry Charger]

his descendants seem to have settled on McKeown

McKeown is the correct Irish spelling of the name.