The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-07-12
From the N Y. Herald "a ;,..
|. From the n 7. Herald, Sd inst.
What Leading Medical Practftlon.
ers Say OF the Chance of Garfieid's
Recovery.

- - a.-.
From the N Y. Herald, Sd inst.
What Leading Medical Practif,on.
ers Say OF the Chance Of 0arfieid's
Recovery.
DIR. William A. Hammond, whom in.
ormed that President Garfeld's ptvshs
clans declared that the bal bad lodged
n bis liver and that there were signs of
internal hemorrhage, said: "There To-
nothing more fatal than wounds OF the.
liver. A man may live even with =
bullet in his brain. DR.. Bliss, who is in
attendance on the President, / know per.
'onally, and be is thoroughly compet-
ent surgeon. 1t is often difflcult to 10.
cate tie course Of ball precisely. be-.
cause it may have struck rib or have
been detected in it's course by other
causes--that 10 to say, you cannot tell
from the externalrorifcez exactly Wters
the ball is; but il they have definitely
ascertained that lbe eouud is IL ths.
liver, it is almost necessarily fstal. II
is exceedingly rars that man escapes.
with his life when wounded in the liver,
especially with large sized bail, such
as is described in the despatched
Wounds OF the liver are always followed
by internal hemorrhage, which not only
weakens the patient but induces perito-
nitis. Death does not necessarily occur
Immediately, the patient may lineer for
hours, as in the case Of James Fisk, Jr.. J.
or even for days; but death is mono the
less certain. Fisk, you remember, died
OF peritonitis. Wounds of the abdomen
are far more serious than wounds OF the
chest. l knew an officer in the army,
General Shields, who had prapeshot
through his lung-a grapeshot 10 sS
large as walnut--and yet he lived for
years and years. have seen number
OF wounds In the liver in my practice,
but never knew man to recover from
gunshot wound in the liver, not once.
There is nothing to do in the way OF
treatment but what they have been
doing--that is, to keep the patient quiet
with morphine and wait but it will be Of
no use. The .tingling sensation in the
Presidents feet spoken Of would be
some indication that the spinal column
had been reached; but while that would
result in paralysis of the lower limbs il
would not be necessarily fatal immeli.
ately. Florence Scanned, who was shot
in the spine, was strong man, and he
fingered for months, although his legs
were all the time as dead as stone. /.
see they say the assassin Is insane.
have written book on that subject. I
am in favor of hanging such insane peo-
pie on the same principle that I would
shoot mad dog
OPINIONS OF DIR. PRANK HAMILTON.
As to the character and danger Of
President Gar6eld's wound, there is har-
dly any medical gentleman in the city
probably more competent to give an
opinion than DR.. Frank Hamilton, who
during the late war was United States
Army Medical Inspector, and whose
work on Medical Surgery" is regarded
as the highest authority in the profes-
sion.
"The danger Of such wound as that
received by President Garfield, be sta-
ted in reply to question as TO his
opinion in the matter, twill depend upon
the depth Of its penetration and the ex.
act point at which it is entered. A.
weapon of the size reported as having
been employed discharged at distance
OF few feet would be likely to pene.
trate very deeply and to enter the aldo.
minal cavity, in which case it is likely
to prove fatal. A few OF the soldiers
wounded in the late war recovered after
deep penetrating wounds in the region
OF the kidneys, but they constituted
rare exceptions 10 the rule. II che
President does not die tonight 1t will
be fair to assume that no blood vessel
Of any considerable size has been woun-
ded. The chief danger then will be that
the ball has penetrated the intestines, in
which case he may die in two or three
days Of inflammation Of the intestiuess
Balls lodged in this region also somes
times cause extensive abscesses, whicli
prove fatal only after lapse OF several
months. With the information nov IN
possession OF the public no definite con-
clusions can be arrived at as TO whether
recovery is probable or not. repeat,
however, that considerable number Of
cases OF deep penetrating wounds OF
this region made by balls OF largo
calihre have recovered. !"
'vlewing the Presidents case in its
most favorable light, what is your opin.
ion Of his recovery ?"
~ don't think be will recover. Our
latest dispatches indicate internal hem
orrhage, which is most unfayorable
symptom. The only hope ie-< and there
is always hope while there is life--that
his recovery may, with bis good con-
stitution and strong will power. prove
an exception to the general rule. I"