Dr. Mudd's Diagnosis

[Rick Smith]

I have wondered if it was possible that Dr. Mudd made a misdiagnosis after examining Booth's leg.

Dr. Mudd stated that Booth had sustained a direct fracture to his fibula and that he found crepitation present. I suppose that the crepitation could have been from the broken ends of the bone moving against each other during the exam.

Mortimer Ruggles', one of Mosby's men who crossed the Rappahannock with Booth & Herold, and had a close look at Booth's injured limb, which Ruggles described as being greatly swollen and dark with bruising, said that with his experience of wounds, to save Booth's life would have necessitated the removal of the injured leg, and that even that may not have prevented a speedy death.

Not to be too hard on Dr. Mudd, as he had no modern scientific advantages to aid him, but it seems that Booth's injury was even more severe than Dr. Mudd's diagnosis suggested.