The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-12-24


doses OF acetate Of lead and opium were given with
view OF increasing If possible the coaguability of the
blood, which was at this time extremely feeble, as
was seen IN the occasional trieklmg Of blood from the
nose and on one occasion small drops Of blood
like perspiraton, standing on his forehead You
can imagine my anxiety, with the blood in such
condition, the stump almost gangrenous AMI ex-
pectng every hour when the arteries would give way
at their points Of ligation and secondary and of
course fatal hemorrhage be the result.
While am required to be at the Hospital only
once day, was at the bedside OF this man twice
almost every day; and to guard him against the
danger of secondary hemorrhage nurse was kept by
him night and day.
Saturday, Nov. IT, the general condition was much
the same, only weaker and more deIirious. The
tonic and supporting plan Of treatment was con-
tinued. The stump was very black and the dis
charge actually putrd, so much so that ordered
powdered charcoal to be busted through the pillow
of oakuu on which the leg rested, and also over the
flaps themselves.
Sunday. Nov. II, learned that he had been very
restless and delirious all the previous night Nor
phine was given hypodermically to procure sleep.
Throughout his sickness morphine administered
whenever it was needed to relieve paiu and secure
rest The injections of beef tea and brandy could no
longer be retained, but he was able to bear some
milk on his stomach The leg at that time was black
and gangrenous, aud the discharge had nearly
ceased,
From this time the symptoms became more AMI
more aggravated, he sank lower and lower and died
at l2 O'Clock Sunday night from what regarded
septicaemia or blood poisoning which every surgeon
meets with occasionally not only in hospital but in
private practice.
A few days after his death took up one OF our
daily papers and real with perfect astonishment the
following serious charges:
To the Editor of the Argus:
A physician who was intimately acquainted with
the late Mr.. Eat0n and by whose advice he came to
Maine General Hospital, expresses much dssatisfac-
ton at lne circumstances in relation to his death.
rhe cause OF his coming to the hospital was desire
to have so much bone removed from his Ieg-which
had been amputatcd on the battef =ld--as would en-
able him to wear his artificial foot This operation
had been described to him. very properly as autte
trivial AT the hospital his leg ampItated halt
way to the knee, and he bled TO death without the
application, according to the records of the hospital
OF any local treatment until few hours before his
DEATH The history OF former operations which
he had suffered gave evidence of any hemorrhagc
diathess. :
wish to say few words in reference to the rec
ords Of the hospital pertaining to this case And
here have a confession to make and do it as
frankly and as fully as have made my statements
relative to the patient. never directed them aud
in fact never them until after the charges were
made. My apology for looking after the records
Grafton on Mr., Eaton was brought to the hos
pital who had been run over by the cars and very
seriously injured about the head, and one leg was SO
badly crushed and manged that amputation was
necessary to be made, These two patients required
great deal of care and attention. and together with
the other patients in the hospital occupied my whole
time during my visits.
Under such circumstances the records were of Sec
ondary importance for the time being, bue in due
time they would and did receive my attention.
Bnt the records as they then stood were very good
taking into consideration the circumstances under
which trey were kept. During the first half Of Mr..
Eaton's sickness DR.. Hill was away, and the whole
work. both Of the medical and surgical departments
devOlve1 on DR.. Andrews When DE- Hill returned
he collected what notes DR.. Andrews had made in
his note book and transferred them to the records
Under such circumstances it is very natural that
some omissions should have occurred. When read
rhe records for the first tme knowing that they had
been made without single suggestion from me, L
was pleased to find that but few alterations and ad-
ditions were to be made.
The only place where an explanation and slight
change needed, is under date of Nov 14th where
the doctor made the following hasty entry, without
stopping to punctuate: 'Delirious and weak from
loss of blood" Now it is evident to any one who has
seen the records that this does not mean what is
operation and it is shown by the same records that
the patient began to be delicious within thrty-si
hours after the amputation.
And Furthermore every physician knows that pa
tient is not made wildly derious as this man was at
times, from mere loss of blood. do not object to
this as 1t stands provided proper understanding is
had as to its meaning The capillary ooziDg did add
to his debility. He in sense to slight degree
weakened by it, but he was weakened rery much
more by the constant discharge of black bloody se-
rum such as described in the history of the case
Almost every day, after the first thirty-six hours
symptoms of blood poisoning are noted in the ire
quent mention OF deirium, vomiting and high tenn
peraure, although the word septicaemia septic few
err or blood poisoning does not appear the records
until after they were examined by me.
DR.. Hunt and held frequent consultations over
this case, and the condition of the stump secondary
hemorrhage and blood poisoning were upp ermost in
our minds.
That the records of the hospital were imperfect at
that time admit; but no one supposed for a mo-
ment that after having the essential facts in the
case, from the attending surgeon. they would be SO
grossly misrepresented and then made the basis of
such public charges.
Dr. Files, in his second letter to the Argus says:-
'The former medical attendant Of Mr. Eaton came to
me and wished for an introduction to Dr. Weeks
Sa' ne nisn' iuque lnoIe particularly In regard TO
the incidents OF his death. The doctor gave
count substantially corresponding with his published
statement"
This account Of the case, corresponding with my
published statement was made to DR.. Files aud DR.
Higgins before they went to the hospital or before
tney saw the records If the published statements Of
mine represent the facts in the case and you gem
temen, are to decide, then Dr. Flies knew the facts
before he made his charges.
The evidence that he knew then, we have from bis
own pen.
charges public through the naner These so,ious
char ges were made without the knoUledoa or .on