The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-09-30
The AutOpsy-Its Strange Develop
nlents.

The autopsy is the most marvellous feature
in the Presidents case. 1t shows that the
surgeons had absolutely no knowledge of the
character OF the wound. or the location of the
ball What was called "the track of the
wound" was in fact, burrowing pus cavity.
The catheter, that was following the track
of a supposed tortuous wound was be-
ing pushed into a pus cavity. The ban
which DIR. Hamilton, even, thought he
could locate within half an inch
proved to be a mere ball of pus walled up
The metal which the induction balance discov-
cred was the same accumulation Of pus. The
doctors all knew within an inch where the ball
was, and could have reached it Immediately
with knife. Yet it was two feet, by the sur
face of the body, from where they thought it
was, and behind the heart. instead of being in
front Of the groin. The ball never went down.
ward and forward. 1t went sideways across
the backbone. The shattered rib, which was
not known to the consulting surgeons
until July %, was the obstacle which DETECTED
the bullet and caused it to locate where no one
ever suspected that it was, and where IT re-
manned, permanent danger to the heart.
The doctors, however. congratulate themselves
that the lung was not seriously affected that
there was no metastatic absceSs. The case
illustrates how great the skill OF good
nursing is, for it shows that the Pres
ident was kept alive for eighty days
X.
mortal wound that was constantly
poisoning the system. But the autopsy shows
how greatly the most eminent surgeons lnay
err-plainly spoken, that the doctors knew very
little about the wound or the course
of the ball. The post norton was made
the day after death, III the presence and with
the assistance OF Drs. Hamilton Agnew, Bliss,
Barnes, Woodward, Rcyburn, Andrew H. Smith,
OF Elberon, and Acting Assistant Surgeon ID. S.
Lamb, Of the Army Medical Museum OF WASH
ington. The operation was performed by Dr.
Lamb. The physicians, in their official report
of the autopsy say:
1t vas found that the ball, after fracturlng
the right eleventh rib, had passed through the
spinal column, in front Of the spinal canal,
fracturing the body of the first lumbar ver-
tebra driving a number OF small fragments OF
bone into the adjacent soft parts, and lodging
just below the pancreas, about two inches ana
half to the left of the spine, and behind the
perltoneum, where it had become completely
encysted
1.-The immediate cause of death was secon-
Diary hemorrhage from one Of the mesen-
teric arteries adjoining the track Of the ball. the
blood rupturing the perltoneum and nearly
pint escaping into the abdominal cavity
This hemorrhage Is believed to have been
the cause OF the severe pain III the lower part
OF the chest complained of just before death.
An abscess cavity, six inches by four in di-
mensions. was found in the vicinity OF the gail
bidder. between the liver and the transverse
colon, which were strongly interadheront. 1t
did not involve the substance OF the liver, and
no communication was found between and
the wound.
'Along the suppura'ion channel extended
from the external wound between the lon
muscles and the right kidney almost TO the
right groin. This channel is now known to be
due 10 the burrowing OF the pus from the
wound. IL was supposed during life to have
been the track OF the BALL
"On examination OF the organs of the chest
evidences of severe bronchitis were found on
both sides, with broncho-pneumona of the
lower portions of the right lung, aud, though
to a much less extent, of the left.
1.-THE lungs contained no assesses and the
heart no c)ois.
1.-THE liver was enlarged and fatty, but free
from Assesses, nor were any found in any
other organ except the left kidney, which con-
tanned, near Its surface. a small abscess about
one-third of an inch in diameter.
"In reviewing the history OF this case, in
connection with the autopsy, ii is quite evil
dent that the different suppurating surfaces,
and especially the fractured spongy tissue OF
the vertebra, furnish sufficient explanation Of
the septic condition which existed"