Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-10-03
THE AUTOPSY
MADE BY THE PHYSICIANS UPON
PRESIDENT GARFIElD'S BODY. '
A S arch for the Messenger Of Death
where 1t Was Finally Found-0is-
closures Made by the Post
Atortem-Truth in Tech
nical Terms.
RtFORTof THE SURGEONS IN CHARGE

httO VI ! ht SUk6tUHS IN ChAk6e
PHILADELPHIA, PENN, October l.
The October issue OF the American
Jotrnoi oiof Medicine contains the follow.
ing tficial report Of the autopsy Of
President Garfield:
The body was considerably emaciated,
but !he face was much less wasted than
the limbs. A preservative fluid had
been injected by the embalmer q few
hours before into the left femoral artery,
and the pipes used for the purpose were
stillin position.
The interior surface Of the body pre-.
sented no abnormal appearance; there
was no ecchymosis or other discoloration
ofany part OF the abdomen. Just below
the ear, and little behind it there was
an oval liberated opening about an
inch diameter, from which some san
ious pus was escaping, but no tumefac-
ton could be observed in the parotid
region.
a considerable number OF purpura-
like spots were scattered thickly over
the lett scapula, and thence forward as
far as the aIilla. They ranged from one
eighth to onequarter OF an inch in
diameter. Were slightly elevated and
furfuraceous on the surface, and many
OF them we're confident in groups Of
two to four or more. A similar but
much less abundant eruption was OBJ
served sparsely scattered over the cor.
responding region on the right side
An oval excavated ulcer, about an
inch long, the result OF q small carbun-
Gle, was cited over the spinous process
OF the tenth dorsa vertebra. Over the
sacrum there were four small bed sores,
the largest about
Half an inoh in diameter.
A few acone pustules, and a number Of
irregular spots OF post mortem hypos-
tatic CONGESTION were scattered over the
shoulders, back and buttocks. The
inferior part of the scrotum was much
discolered by hypostalic congestion. A
group Of hsmorrhoidal tumors rather
larger than a walnut protruded from the
anus
The depressed clacatrix OF the wound
made by the pistol bullet was recognized
over the tenth intercostal space, three
and a ha.f inches to the right OF the yer.
tebTaI spines. A deeper linesl incision,
-, o,lo -, ,,,r< hy tba nparotiop ~ Tply
and extended by that of August sth,
occupied a position closely correspond
ing to the upper border OF the right
twelfth rib. 1t commenced posteriorly
about two inches from the vertebral
spines, and extended forward little
more than three inchea At the interior
extremity Of this incision there
was deep, nearly square abraded sur
face about an inch across. A well
oiled, flexible catheter fourteen inches
long, was then passed into this wound,
as bad been done to wash II out during
life More resistance was at first en-
counterad than had usually been the
case, but after several trials the catheter
entered without violence to it's full
length |. was then left in poeition, and
the body disposed supinely for the ex'
animation OF the viscera. The Uranium
was not opened.
A long lncision was made from the
superior extremity OF the sternum to
to the pubs, followed by q transverse
incision, crossing the abdomen Just be-
low the umbilicus. The lower flaps
thus formed were turned back, and
the abdominal viscera, exposed. The
sub cutaneous adipose tissue divided
by the incisions was little more than
one-eighth OF an inch thick over the
thorax, bot was thicker over the abdo-
men, being about quarter OF an inch
thick along the linsa alba, and as much
as haIfan inch thicker toward the outer
extremity Of the transverse incision.
On an inlpection of the abdominal
viscers in situa the transverse colon WAS
observed TO lie little above the line OF
the umbihens. 1t was firmly adherent
10 the anterior edge OF the liver. The
greater omentum covered the intestines
pretty thfouahly from the transverse
colon almost 10 the pubs. / was still
quite fai, .- o..
And Was Very Much Blsckened
by vsneus congestion. On both sides
its laternaI margins were adherent to the
abdominal particles opposite the eleventh
and twelfth ribs. On the left side the
sdhesious we're nuueruuss frIu,S veil
organized and probably old. A foot
note here says:
.sThese adhesions and the arm ones
on tire right side, - well as those OF the
spleen, possibly date bsck TO an attack
Of cbrnpic dysentery, from which the
,uatssIt ia said TO have suffered dn ting
the late civil war. On the right tide
there were sfew similar adhesiops and
q number Of more delicate and proba.
bly, recent sores. A mass OF black coag.
ruiated blood covered and concealed the
spleen and the left margin OF the greater
omentum. On raising the onenturh II
was found that this blood mas extended
through. the left lumbar and lilac re-
gions and dipped down into the pelvis,
in which there vas some ciotted blood,
and rather more than pint OF bloody
fluid. A foot note here says: A large
part OF this fuid had probably trans.
uded from the injection material OF the
embalmer The blood cosgula having
been turned out and collected measured
very nearly q pint W.
II was now evident that secondary
hemorrhags had been the immediate
cause OF death; but the point from
which the food bad escaped was not al
once apparent. The omentum was no,
adherentto the intsstines, which we're
moderately distended with gas. No in
testinal adhesionss were found, other
than those between the traverse colon
and the liver alresdy mentioned. The
abdominal cavity now beins washed out
as thoroughly as possible, q fruitlesa
attempt was made TO obtain some indi.
cation OF the position Of the bullet be-
fore makiug any further incisions. In
pushing asf1e the extremity Of the ca
thster, which had been passed into
It, the wound could b
felt bstesen the pedtonsum
and the right lilac iaeis, ,4but n had
evidently doubled upon itself; and,
Although Proionsed Search was Hsds,
nothing could be seen or felt 10 oindicate
tie presence d the Senbd, either in