New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-04
OPINIONS OF SURGEONS.
THE NATURE OF TIE PRESIDENTS WOUNDS
DOUBTS As 10 HIS KECONERN.

THE NATURE OF THE PRESIDENTS wOUNDS-GRAvE
DOUBTS As TO HIS RECOVERY.
DR.. William A. Hammond was seen at his
house by TRIBUNE reporter last evening. In speaking
OF the Presidents wounds he said that he had seen "A
great many gInshot and wounds. but never
knew man to get well where the liver was
injured James Fax, who shot by Edward 3. stokes
wounded might live more than two days, and
" In the case of President Garfield" said Dr. Ham
mond with his strong constitution, regular life aud
temperate habits everything is in his favor II large
mediate II small vessel was pierced, and inhamma
there wonId lie danger from hcnorhagc in either case
have puncturcd the liver thirty times without the pa
in the liver it l. far wor,, than II through If it
%rg. through ,hG boy lower down ana ala NOT strike
or bladder were injured, that the should run
pcritonrs; The Presidents medical treatment is
night , ia, and If reaction j. not TOO rapid death Will
ton the doctors are giving him opium and morphine"
subject was Ambrose Parcy, surgeon To Charles TX and
d" The wounds of the liver deadly Tor this part ia
the w"rkhose oi the blood wherefore necessary to life
or hollow veins are cut whence ensucs great aux OF
quenty dissipation of the spirits and strength"
=, Another authority John Ilcnncr, the grandfather of
OF The liver fatal if the heart itself was cnsr
,me s,iSmer inimreT are recoverable particularly il the
~ In the " CommGnt@rcs on the Surgery of the War;"
"WoWnds and injuries OF the liver, whether messed or
pe,m.trnlins occurring from blows. or from musAct
some few persons recover altogether. few with
during the rs or lni maiory aigc or IN ph ."rnI ,rr
airy one which follows from the twelfth To fourteenth
sn6sicd" primary ''"''''''' nave |" some measure
OF iuiury to the abdominal cav ty Thomas Longmon
Snrgc"n General OF the British Army Ns64), says
" When this important cavity IL once penetrated by
draih tr",o hem"rrn Ts'h or m,Ir be wounded
iI,siIu
after gnnshot wounds involving the visccrn. Two par
through 10y musct balls occurred irly in IT,"
H, one at Lncknow the other at the siege OF Delhi
lhG tnsE in the feet complained of by the President
Dr Hammond thought proceeded either from injury
I" i n s,la coTd or the cittlng of II large
lhc iart OF mr. t,ariicds getting through the first
strong constitution sui, the is very serious
ana 1t may take a week or more before he is
yo"dy ad any reason to expect It ia not proved
statement in any newspaper reports and if ~ nor
poirlor ,ni inc pan has turned aside and entered
WHAT DIR. HAMILTON SAYS
DR.. Il. H. Hamilton, who found ut his house said
to TRIBUNE reporter:
| can't think that the attending surgeons have in
tended to state positively the the bah took AFT
1T penetrated the body. | don't see how they know
positively that it has entered the livcr-uncss they
examined with probc-whch has not been stated-or
Is lodged In the anterior part OF the abdomen.
For aught that appears at present tho ball may have
between tho muscles OF the and Aid
along between the layers OF the muscles, and may not
nave entered the belly at ALL Such eccentrcily in
ane , course or balls is not at all uncommon,
the ball has actually penetrated the cavity the belly
and passed through u small portion of the vrry
the future danger the patient consider very great
of henorrhagc Tho cxampcs Of rec"%aEv a utr
are very it s'' i% MS"i late OF the liver
able to record eight examples of recovery from gunshot
wounds OF the liVrr have myself personally seen two
war furnished IA number Of examples; my imprcessou
IL about fifteen: 1t must be remembered that ali the
cases recorded by myself, and probably eases
were where the bali passed entirely throur thr
wall "l iic belly ana made s escape externally. II n
iH remains III thc p"y, az must be the fact this lsc
II has once entered it, the danger greatly increased
and can never cease entirely until the ball ia found and
successfully extracted. ut repeat cannot think
that medical gentlemen have intended To sv
That they know that the ball has penetrated
the liver and is lying IN the cavity OF the belly
We ought to receive agcmcnt from the fI Ihnt
ALTHOUGH the patient suffered severely shock
ana later from depression that might have been colse
OF thirty or forty hours he has AGAIN rallied. Ear
arocurrcncc or great pain or high febric excitement in
dicatlns the sson OF inannntion we have ~ ii
t"na grounds Tor encouragement With the President \
temperate habits aud good health the chances are
greatly increased. +
AS the reporter about to take his leave the FOLLOW
ing dispatch from Secretary Blaine WAS handed tn Dr
liunlltOn, about O'Clock:
The PRESIDENT, while doing we'll il still In n very crit
lcil condition. II would do much to relieve Mrs Gar
lc anxiety 10 nave You here To with the nt-
tending physicians viii you on the lrst train y,
IN Hamilton let the house at once for the depot ia
coihpy WIN secretary Blainc's request.
DIR. sAYREs OPINION.
The opinion expressed by DR.. H. a. Sayre YVES IA fol
fatal From what be learned OF the manner Of tn,
shooting of victim If