Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1881-10-05
The Autopsy.

sensational dispatch from Washing
ton to the Globe Democrat, SAYS
the Shreveport Times, to the effect
that facts had been concealed re.
garding the autopsy Of the PIesi.
dents body, We give the following
later dispatch Of the oath:
DIR. Woodward, one of the late
presidents surgeons, was asked in
regard to the criticism of the
autopsy published this morning.
He said that those present at the
autopsy would make a joint state
ment at the proper time, but they
could not stop individually to chase
down the lies in circulation. He
said the dissection was performed
| by Prot. Lamb, one entirely uncon.
nected with the case previously,
and a gentleman OF the highest
professional and personal character
and particularly distinguished as u
demonstration Of anatomy.
The late presidents physicians
are disposed to treat the criticisms
of the autopsy with contempt. DIR.
Rel burn refuses To discuss SO false
Il statement as that which makes
the discovery of the ball a matter
of accident. DIR. Bliss says the ball
was not found rafting around in
the bottom of a basin, ii was found
in the stu, and was carefully dis
spcted from its last resting place.
Ii was thoroughly encNsted, being
covered with u smooth aud nearly
transparent deposited mucous
tissue. 1t had done no possible
harm for wecks-in fact, scarcely
any since il stopped where it was
found. Its smooth surface had long
ceased To be an irritant of the sur
rounding tissue.
Other statements in the article
were not worth noticing.
Prominent physicians here upon
being questioned to-day are of 0pin.
ion that heroic surgery could not
have saved Garfield. His wound,
in the light of the autopsy, was ~
fatal one. Viewed in the light of
the diagnosis upon which the case
WAS conducted, the President ought
to have recovered, and the conf.
dence OF surgeons up TO late date
was fully warranted by the supposed
track of the ball. The fact that the
patient lived for 70 days after the
wound, as known now, will always
be regarded rs one of the most re.
markable triumphs of medical skill
in the treatment of wounds and
diseases. A detailed statement of
the autopsy is being prepared at
the Army Medical museum by Prof.
Lamb. assisted by Drs Barnes and
Woodward. 1t will I've published
by the medical department OF the
army.
DR.. ID. l.. Lamb, of the Army
Medical museum, who held the
knife in the post norton operation
upon the late President Garfield,
says the bulletin report of the
autopsy, issued by the surgeons,
was correct aud true; that nothing
NNS CouCtdftu VI HtIu Udtk. AtsO,
that the wound was necessarily
fatal. The attempt of several doc
tors, who were outside of the case,
TO revive a professional war over
the Presidents case, ia by the doc.
tors generally pronounced illtimed
and out of place, and an effort to
create a sensation out Of this affair
has fallen rather fiat.
DR.. Bliss tonight said the results
Of the late autopsy were correctly
given. There was no ATTEMPT to
conceal ANYTHING. The wound was
necessarily fatal. DR.. Lamb, who
performed the surgical part OF the
autopsy, stated that the preliminary
report or bulletin showed three
things: the location of the ball. the
error OF the first diagnosis aud the
tact that the President did not suf
feI from pyRmia.
The statement published this
morning criticising the autopsy OH
the late President, declaring that
the ball WAS accidentally found in
the basin among the bowels, has
been credited to Gen. Swain. He
desires il to l,p known that hp had