Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-07-25
THE PRESIDENTS WOUND.
THE CAUSE OF THE RELAPSE.
A CLEAR STATEMENT BY DIR. REYEU

surgeon.
On our first page will be found an inter-
esting and curious story about the pro-
jected assassination Of Hayes. 1t gains in
interest, il not in credibility, from the
critical condition into which Mr.. Garfield
has been placed by a serious relapse. The
account which We print gives the causes
and nature of this reaction, and the pro-
gress of the patients partial recovery from
it. DR.. Reyburn gives the following ac-
count of the treatment:
The direction taken by the ball after it
entered the body was forward and slight
downward until it struck one of the ribs,
it was thence DETECTED still farther down.
ward and little to the right SO as to make
an acute angle with the line Of the back.
In other words, when probe was intro
duced in the wound to a depth Of three or
three and a-half inches, its direction was
such that it's inner end was only about IN
inch and half from the outside of the
body at point lower Down. The exam
nation, which was mads in the presence
of Drs. Agnew and Hamilton showed
that pus cavity had been formed
in the track of the ball near and beyond
the point where it glanced from the rib,
and that this cavity could be reached bya
direct incision three inches below the
mouth of the wound. 1t was decided at
once to perform the operation. The sur
gical knife was inserted ut 4 point just
above the hip and three inches below the
wound. The skillful surgeon, DR.. Agnew,
selected spot between the muscles of tho
back from which he cut straight to the
e &bn 1.o1l cfrSl, of INT
lust below the drainage pipe, depth of
three inches. The keen blade was accom-
panied by an instrument that held the
wound open with the withdrawal OF the
knife, which was Immediately followed by
flow of pus that at once demonstrated
the success of the operation. Z.
No anasthetics were used and the pfesi-
dent bore the operation bravely, but the
part to be operated was to be numbed by
the spray of ether. With the aid of a
probe and PAIR of fOrceps a drainage
tube which is 4 small flexible tube of
rubber perforated with holes was then
introduced into the wound by the ball,
and after being carried through the pus
cavity was brought out through the newly
made incision, one end OF the tube
then projected from the cut made by the
surgeons knife, and tho other from tho
mouth of the original wound. As the
pus oOzed into the tube through the per-
foratiOns it could escape from either end
and was repeatedly washed out with a
weak solution of carboiic acid and water.
which was thrown through the tube in a
stream. The discharge which was follow
ed by the opening of the pus cavity was
entirely satisfactory to the surgeons and
was soon followed by relief to the patient.
The drainage tube has been left as it was
originally placed and will remain there for
the present. If the wound discharges
freely through the new opening the tube
may, perhaps, be withdrawn from the old
one to allow it to heal. The incision made
is in direct line with tho deeper parts Of
the wound and it is thought the pus will
escape through it without any of the OBJ
structiOns which impcded it's flow along
the track of the bali and which covered
the pus cavity.
In reply to the question whether an
other pus cavity is likely to form and
bring about another of the alarming
symptoms OF yesterday, DR.. Reyburn said:
l cannot answer positively, but rs the
pus now has full e"reSs do not think it
probable that another cavity will fOrm.'
Upon being asked whether there were or
had been any symptoms in the presidents
case of pyeamia or blood poisoning, DIR.
Reyburn said None whatever. RigOr
of course may be symptom Of pyeamia;;
but it is also n symptom Of various other
complications, and it does not point to
pyeamia in tho present case. The pus
continues healthy and the characteristic
symptoms of pyeamia arc all wanting.
You may say upon my authority that no
indications of blood poisoning have been
observed and that we have 10 reason to
expect any,
STATE ITEMS.
Miners in the Tioga coal fields work
four to five days in week.
TiOSa county was visited by Il slight
frost last week.
The total value Of live stock in Pennsyl-
vanio, goats not included, is $50, ,37O, 912.
Oil is reported to have been found in an
old we'll in Clarion county, There is more
excitement than oil.
The Philadelphia Times building is to be
run up another story. 1t is we'll to be
capacious in the upper region.
j. E. Gatchell, mayor of fGreensburg, has
been put under arrest for the false impri
sonment of three citizens.
There are twenty ty-seven cases Of small
pOx in one square in Pittsburgh, making
$50 developed within two weeks.
Petroleum is now successfully used as
fuel in smelling silver. 1t is said to be
better and cheaper than coke and coal.
A sharp Williamsport girl, it is reported,
borrowed thirty dollars from one lover or
ailmirer in order to bny an outfit to marry
another.
In nearly every instance of injuries from
the toy pistol lockjaw has supervened.
Death by starvation is the usual termina-
tion.
A Williamsport fisherman caught :: wa
ter snake with catfish in it's mouth
baited his hook with the ''cattie' and
hooked three bass.
Two young ladies while rowing on the
river near Indiana creek, we're surprised to
see large pike jump into the boat. They
killed it with an oar, when it was found to
weigh IA! pounds.
A large bug, resembling a locust, which
fastens to the necks of fowls near Green's
burg, has been very destructive of life.
Thousands of the huge bugs have been
found in one nest.
Mrs. Harry Lingafelt, Of Holidaysburg.
was recently stung by a ''snake FEEDER"
or dragon fly, and her entire body became
poisoned. BY the application Of proper
antidotes, she is recovering.