, 1856-08-29
Senator Sumner and His Physician.

ever may be SAID OF BROOKS attack upon
Sumner, the after piece performed by Sum
ner, Greely & Co., has no parallel in ras-
cality:
TESTIMONY OF DR.. BOYLE
QUESTION. - BY Mr.. Cobb - What is
your opinion Of these wounds, just as they
are
ASswER.-I look upon them simply as
flesh wounds.
Q.-What would you say of the nature
of these wounds ?
A.-They are nothing but flesh wounds.
Q.-What is your opinion in reference
to the condition of Mr.. Sumner? How
long need he be confined on account OF
these wounds
A.-His wounds do not necessarily con-
fine him one moment. He would have
come to the Senate, on Friday, if | had
recommended it.
Q.-Could he have come out with safety?
Ale could have come with safety, as
far as the wounds were concerned.
Q-And, as matter Of course, from
that time to the present?
A.-Yes, sir he stated that he would
be ready to appear before the committee
to-day.
Q..By Mr.. Campbell-At what time
did he make that statement ?
A.-On Sunday evening he told me to
state to Mr.. Campbell, who had addressed
him letter through me, which delivered,
that he would be ready 10 attend the CON-
mittee on Monday. His friends advised
him not to appear until the next day, and,
therefore, he told me to inform Mr.. Camp
bell that he would appear on Tuesday.
Q.-State, in this connection, whether
there were any other persons with him-I
mean any physician who advised that per-
haps it might not be safe for him to go
out?
Al have seen no medical man with
him but myself There has been none there.
There are q great many friends present,
and they make Mr.. Sumner out great
deal worse than he is. They say he has a
fever. have never discovered any. /
have been his constant attendant, and l
have never known his pulse at any moment
higher than eighty-two. l yesterday cor
rected an article in the LnteLhgenocr, stating
that be had fever, and the correction ap-
pears in to-day's paper. He had no fever
to my knowledge. l have visited him
twice a day. His brother said he ought
not to come out, and cited great many
cases that had come under his observation
in Paris, where death had taken place in
six weeks from blows on the head. His
brother is not medical man Senator
Sumner, Of course, took the advice Of his
brother and his friends, and l, of course,
allowed them to do as they thought proper.
Perhaps l ought to state my reason for
objecting to his coming out on Friday.
There was a good deal Of excitement at
that time, and l thought that if Mr.. Sam
ner did not go into the Senate for day or
two, the excitement might wear off,
Q-By Mr.. Cobb-It was not then on
account Of his physical condition?
A.-Not at all. He was very anxious
to go. He said that he had not lost a
single days session since the meeting of
Congress. ! objected to bis going for the
reason I have stated, and not because l
thought bis condition would not admit of
1t.
Q-By Mr.. Pennington-Do you mean
to say, as q medical man, that you would
have recommended, or would have been
willing to allow, Mr.. Sumner to go to the
Senate on Friday in his condition ?
Al think he ought not to have gone
on account Of the excitement.
Q-I do not speak Of that. Do you
mean to say, as his physician, that you
were not unwilling that he should go out
on account of his wounds and the conse-
quences in which, from the excitement and
other causes, those wounds might end?
Al think this that Mr.. Sumner
might have taken carriage and driven as
far as Baltimore on the next day, without
any injury.
Q.-Was it possible for him to have
worn hat
Al think he could have worn hat.
This testimony of the surgeon not being
exactly what was expected, Mr.. Penning-
ton, black republican member of the CON-
mittee, asked:
Q.-What are your political alfinities
Al am an old line whig, II have any
politics ] was born in tho city Of Wash
ington.
Q.-Were you bail for Brooks?
Al was not.
Q.-By Mr.. Cobb-Are you regular
practicing phycisian Of this city, and, if so,
for how long have you practiced
Al have been practicing since 1874
have been connected with hospitals and
medicine since 1888.
OIL ask whether in your practice your
treatment depends upon the political opin-
ions Of your patients?
A.-No, sir.
Q.-Do you treat them with reference to
their political opinions, or do you judge
more by the pulse ?
Al haye nothing to do with any
mans politics.
After all the Fusion Indignation meet
ings" and bowling every where among the