The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-09-30
THE AUTOPSY.
A Renewal of the discussion over
the Post MOrtem.


case and also as to the lruthlulne,s Of the
autopsy reported in the bulletin from Eli
boron. DR.. Bliss to-day takes up and replies
to the questions categorically as follows;
Well, the fret question put is, could the
course of the ball, aud injury inflicted by it,
have been discovered BY the exercise OF
proper medical skilll IA this will DO
answered in The report Of the gentlemen con-
Quoting the autopsy, 1t would not DO proper
for me TO answer 1t.
If this coald have beea known in the ears
lest stages of the case, could not Inc bur-
rowing of pus, caused by the shattered RIB,
which formed the pus ssc nearly twelve
inches in length, have been prevented:
This is u part of the professional history
which was also revealed by Ihe autopsy and
must decline 10 answer Il Al-O,
Ii this could have been prevented would
not the patient hRvs been saved from blood
poisoning? The same conditions us TO being
answered oy me, obtain in this rs in the pre-
Yous in errJgation,
Was the stomach properly ueaiedg The
greatest possible care was exercised IN regard
to the functions of digestion and assimllas
lion. The nouTishmeut wss carefully pre-
pared under direction of or by ono of the
surgeons in attendance, and during almost
the whole course of treatment was admins
tered by one of them. Al the first intlma-
ton of failure Of the stomach to perform It's
function, it was place AT physiological rest,
and resort WAS had to recital allamentshon.
This course WAS pursned nfGnr u most careful
study of the previous condition, history
and habits OF the president, and otsuch malas
dies rs. no had previously suffered from.
believe the manner in which no was sus-
tanned during tho period of EoVenty-nine
days is the best answer as 10 the cOurse pur-
sued.
Was the best medical talent employed,
or was it Intentionally driven aWsJ from
the case, and were The Presidents wishes
as to his medical attendants regarded or
we're they, on the contrary, persistenlly
thwartel,
In reply TO these questions both Of which
involved the same answer, may say that the
verdict of the medical profession of the
world upon tho history Of the case, treatment
and pathological condition revealed at the
autopsy will DO my best vindicatiOn. As to
the other gentlemen who were associated
with me rs counsel, and who, with perfect
unanimiEy, sustained the diagnosis, manage
ment snd treatment, there cnn be but ono
Oplnlon--they stand preseminentin their PRO-
fessioB, are men whose opinion will ba taken
~ diets of modcrg surgery. They, like
myself will DO tried by their peers upon the
facts, and will cheeriully submit to Il just
judgment Of IN enlightened prCiesS
sion. Now, in regard 10 tho wishes
of the president tho secretary of was
sent his carriage for me Immediately after
the shooting with n message to take charge
OF the presidents case until further Urderll
On arriving az the depot | wss conducted 10
the room where the president lay, and ass
sumed charge Of the case, feeling | was there
by proper authority The histOry snd con-
duct Of The case was not pertinent until the
following Sunday morning, when the pre1-
dent had fully reacted, had several hours OF
rest, was cheerful and competent 10 attend
TO any ordinary business, when | presented
the matter to his preference of attend
ants TO him, Mrs. Garfield be-
ing present then eIplsiued to him fully
the valuable professional assistance Il large
number Of medical gentlemen had rend cred
up to tina, time, representing, as they did.
tho best medical talent in tbe city. His res
ply was: OF course, doctor, that will not do
to continue large number of medical gen.
tlemen on the case; such number of
surgeons would BIO cumbersome and un-
wieldly. said; Then, Mr. President, il ia
your duty to select your medical attendants
now. He replied: l desire you to take
charge Of my case know Of your experience
and skill and have full confidence in your
judgment and wish you TO thank the doctors
Individually for their kindness. l thanked
him and replied that 1t would be necessary
to select three or four medical men as coun.
sci in the case. He replied / shall leave
that entirely with you--you know what tai
ent you require and your judgment is best
upon that point. | then selected in order
the gentlemen who were Immediately Stsocis
sted ia the case, stating in each instance the
reason for 80 doing. He said that was emf
nently satisfactory 10 him. l then turned
to Mrs Garfield and said: If you dasiTe to
add one or more to the number shall be
happy to unite them TO our counsel Her
reply was: l wouldn't add one to the
number you have selected and want to say
to you, you shall not be embarrassed in
any way ia your future treatment of the case.
Neither the president nor Mrs. Garfield, nor
any member of the household, from that
time to the present, suggested tue name of
any other physician, except the eminent
counsel called from Philadelphia and New
York. desire 10 say at this time that Mrs.
Garfield has consoien!iously kept this
promise to me throughout the entire case.
The next question propounded vas, were
evidences of pymma or hlo'd voisuning as
developed by tie '"'"p'', convincing or
otherwise? My po.uon rp ;his point has
been declared and published heretofore.
Inow wait the judgment Of the profession
upon the merits of the case, si it will DO
presented in its surgical history.
Was tho condition Of the president, as OIL
cislly declared in tho bulletins, systemati-
cally and Intentionally misrepreaented or
not?
l AN surprised that oven suspicion of the
accuracy of these bulletins should be enter
tanned, The most acrupu!ous care was exer-
cised by the surgeons 10 counsel 10 construct
tho bulletins go ~ to give the exact condi-
ton Of tho president at the time of their
issue, without presenting any individual opin-
ion or discussing the medical aspects of the
case before the public
II misrepresented, was the object iustiaa,
blel
/ think the surgeons would not have been
justified in misrepresen,ing the condition of
the presidest in any particular.
To what extent were DR.. Agnow and
Hamilton practically connected with the
caseI
ElThey we're associate counsel from the timo
they entered into the case, which WAS forty,
six hours after the president received his