, 1881-08-21

~0AA4@ AAoAa oE3 Ol1us-1Fom
/ : THE DI3Epsl. TRACK: OF TIE WOUND.
/ Tne OLD pus depot near tho rib had granuluted
i Pressure on the abdomen forced more pu
I through DurrowIng its way here and there Il
/ the tcndrils Of vino penetrate th'
I hardest wall, this pus will find it
i way all over tho body. Tho buictit
i says that the separation of slough permitted
+ tie ncAibc tubo to pass through this puct
whence the pus was discovered oozlng, and tha
1 then tho tube went forward and downward fol-
twelve and a half inches Separation Of ::
! slough means Simply that the tube WIS pushed
! ny force through pus depot that has beer
there undiscovered, no one knows how long; that
| separation was n vitul necessity, and tho tube
| wus put through tho wall. 1t might have been
DANGEROUS TO PUSH TIE TUBE THROUGH.
Ihey did regard 1t as dangerous. because hero
toiore they have not dared put tho tube farther
than tt would 20 without the use OF force. But
1t was moro dangerous not to separate tho
slough, and If the slough had been separated
days ago possibly the trouble with the stomach,
tho gland. aud the bowels would not have np-
peared. The bulletin snys tl1at, although the
Insertion of tho tubo facilitates Drainage and
cleansing, yet no increase in tho flow of pus has
followed. That 1nny moan, and the impression
Is that 1t does mean, that the pus thnt was
damned up behind that slough has goro
somewhere elsc- II this he so, then
VIC know why the Presidents stomach robclled,-
why the p&rotid gland was intiamed. While tho
bowels arc disturbed plugged up there, as Is
possible, for days. the secretion would burrow
Its wAy here and there In tho system, seeking au
outlet In this connection
THE OPINION OF A. MEDICAL OFFICIAL OF
EXCELLENT REpUTE,
given tho writer just three weeks ngo, reads al
most like prophecy: ''Ah. but the deeper part
OF tho unknown track Of that wound,' said he:
- that Is what l fear. There will come,
II it comes at alf, the source Of dangcr,
the causes Of dissolution. Tnoy will bu SO
llsidlous, will begin so secretly, Will increase SO
mysteriously, .that, while the physicians will
know that somewhere something is wrong, they
will not know how or where to find tho evil. Six
eight, ten inches from tho skin, between tho
separated parts Of flesh, there may be coggng,
or tho'parts may come together by granlllatou
anu lcaHe III unheufcd track in front. Then nus
thus damned accumulates, und, as pus only be-
comes unhealthy on exposure to tho air, or after
being long pent up. the accumulation will not
make itself evident. By and by
THERE COME INCREASED PULSE,
high temperature. The doctors will then know
what the matter is, and, If they can only gct at
the depot. they 1nny bo able to relieve tho pa
ticut: but, IT not, tho pus will begin to seek
outlet. Nature will try to cxpel 1t. 1t will bur-
row here and there. 1t will he tnkcn up by tho
blood. The stomach will at length hc affected,
and nuuscA will come Thcu some Of tho glands,
probably those Of which mention can hardly bc
1naIc In print. or the parotld glnuds, then the
bowels will be affected, and more tbnn likely next
tho lungs. That will be most on1inul;s time.
Death may be escaped, and we can only hope
that such may bc tho case.'
Such was the physicians description Of what
was possible, muslc three weeks ago. 1t seems
now beyond question th.t for the time being
SURGERY Is OF NO AVAIL
Nursing, nourishment, and the Presidents Vi
taiiiy must be relied upon. BY and BY tho time
may come when By reason OF an
nbsccss that may form around the
ball, tho knife will hnvc to bc used. The
ball, from the description of the wound given
In tho noon bulletin, seems TO be slowly drop
ping down. aud, II this be so there can have been
no cnc;sting. 1t can only BIZ snid the situation
is very perilous to-night. and the present eouf-
tion must speedily change for tho better or tho
physicians skill will no longer be Of any avail.
Mrs. EDISON,
tho Presidents nurse, says 1hat the swelling
WAS first noticed on Wednesday ut the time tho
Presidents neck and face were being sponged.
He complained OF pain ar the touch OF the sponge.
Thc attention Of the surgeons WIS called to tho
fact. and they expressed the opinion that the |
pain WAS due to slight strcning Of the muscles !
from cold, but it WAS soon discovered that there
vas swelling there, ar,d constant attention has
Jeen paid to it ever since. The treatment |
" the application OF hot cloths wis Immediately
The President said yesterday that he |
hought he would be uble to sit up III bed it it !
we're not for the pain In the neck cnused by this
swelling. 4 surgeon Of high stumbling and reptl-
alton is reported as say Ing: !" lr tho illilnu1na-
ion of the parotid gland really results from
cptc,rmia, it is likely to prove source Of
GREAT DISCOMFORT TO THE PATIENT
IND annoyance to tho physicians. The nature
# this putrescent matter is unfortunately to
ind It's way TO SO many portions Of the body that,
o soon ono abscess is discharged, others fol-
ow in quick succession. While it Is essential
or tho safety of the patient that tho septic |
natter should he drained from tho system in
he opening OF tho assesses US they show them
elves, yet it would still be better IL pvatic con-
were not visible 1T all. putrafac- I
ion In any form shows that the blood is not
calthy and strong enough tn resist septic tend
ucies, but it seems that the attending physi-
ians have abandoned tho idea or letting tho i.1-
au1mauon progress to suppuration and then |
raning it from the system. They are dssipat-
lg tho Inflammation It's it arises. and there
) removing tho cause Of suppurauon. This
.catmcnt is thought well Of BY outside physi-
Ians in tho event OF Its originating from, local
muses., such as cold, but to pursue this course
hen the Inflammation comes from scpticnmia |
something novel in surgical practice"
EXPLORING THE WOUND.
To the Wtst<r1 Associated Press |
W.AsIISGToS, D. G., Aug. e0.--In an Interview
ith representative IF the press this afternoon
r Bliss gayo in substance the following ac-
punt Of The recent exploration Of tho Presi-
ant's wound by 1neuns OF Il flexible rubber
ltheter. reference to which was made for tho i
rst time In the noon bulletin to-dny:
Since the operation Of the 8sh of August NO 4.
rainage tube has been used it, tho wound. AT !
le morning and evening dressings, however,
nall flexible rubber tube about a quarter OF al
ch in diameter was introduced, and IL weak
luton of carboiic ncd and water forced | :
rough 1t to cleanse tho wound and bring out
o accumulated pus. Up to Yesterday MORN !
g the surgeons had been unable tn pass the !
bo beyond point distant three and IL half or
ur inches from the mouth of the last i,tcsion.
that point it always met with I'LL obstruction |
,ich could not be overcome without the excr- | G
III Of force. and force tho surgeons did not t
ink 1t prudent to employ The apparent FIRM / =
IS of tnls obstucie finally led the surgeons to
l,ve . =
lE DEPTHS OF THE WOUND HAD HEALED, /
ut least tho tr1acir of tho ball had healed ut II E
Int where tho rubber cnthetcr was stopped. \ :.
" HHVS Sitlce hnWeyhy. it WIS nUticGu thai the