The Portland daily press., 1881-08-09
UNOFFICIAL BULLETINS.


L. M.
The necessity for an operation to be per-
formed upon the President this morning be-
came apparent 10 the surgeons yesterday when
they found that the drainage tube of the size
hitherto used could no longer be passed along
the track of the ball between the RIBS. The
process of graEu lation at that point had gone
on so far as TO partially close the orifce aud
the ribs prevented the pushing aside of the
flesh which was healing, so that tho tube
be could introduced The resultof this state OF
things was that the pus formed in the deeper
parts OF the wound rather faster than it could
escape through the half obstructed opening be-
tween the ribs, and its gradual accumuia-
ton BEGAN to cause disturbance. Therefore it
was decided to make new opening into the
track of the ball below the last rib, SO that the
ribs should no longer prevent the keeping
open OF the wound by the solid packing which
they afforded to granulatlng flesh between
them.
The operation was performed at tho request
OF the other Surgeons by DR.. Agnew. AS soon
as the patient had been put under the infiu-
ence OF ether, q long and slightly curved in
strument was introduced into the wound
pushed between the ribs, and carried down
ward along the track of the bullet until lis end
could be felt below the last rib from the out
side. Holding this instrument in the wound,
as q guide, DR.. sAgnew then made counter
incision below the twelfth rib cut directly
through the integument until his knife met
the end OF tho first mentioned instrument at
the point where he wished to intersect the
track Of the bali.
The operation was not difficult or dangerous,
and the patient bore both it and the etherza-
ton exceedingly WE'LL
There is now an opening to the deeper part
Of the wound, which does not pass between
the ribs and which can always be kept free
and unobstructed; and no further trouble from
the accumulation of pus is anticipated.
[4.3o P. MI
Tie President has felt rather weaker this
afternoon than usual and has experienc
some nausea as result of this morning ether
ization. On the whole, however, he has
rallied well from the operation and the sur
geon's report his condition as satisfactory.
His pulse is a little higher than yesterday at
this hour, but as there is hardly any perceptible
fever the rise of pulse is attributed to gastric
disturbance caused by the ether. The nausea
has now passed away and the patient is resting
quietly.
-[113O P. MI
The President did not fully recover from
tho effects of this mornings surgical operation.
He suffered more or less throughout the after
noon from nausea caused by the ether. He
was rather weaker than yesterday and was not
ment. Milk with limo water was given him
as soon as his stomach would bear it after
the direct effects of the ether had passed away,
and later in the day he had meat juice and
D00I 6X16Cbs DuO uo was dlioWou uo sOllQ
food. His pulse, probably as a result of the
gastric disturbance, was rather high during
the afternoon, and at 4.30 went to 10, but his
temperature did not rise CORRESPONDENCE until
about the time of the evening examination
when it reached 1919. The febrie rise shown
by this temperature was more pronounced than
usual, but it was fully accounted for in the
judgment OF the surgeons by the operation and
its consequent nervous excitement and
by the nausea and other effects of
the ether. 1t therefore caused no anxiety
Early in the evening the fever began to sub
side and the President went to sleep quietly
without ancdynes. Since that time his pulse
and temperature have slowly fallen and his
general condition has improved. AT this hour
Q1.30 p. n.y. his pulse is So, his skin is moist
and healthy in tone, his temperature is not
mere than half degree above normal and he
seems to sleep quietly.
Dr. Bliss expresses the opinion that he will
have good refreshing night and that when he
awakes he will be entirely freefrorn fever 1t is
possible that there may be considerable febrile
disturbance again tomorrow before tho patient
begins to permanently i'm prove but the ultimate
result of today saoperation is expected to be q.
marked and decided change for the better.
The ineision made this morning cannot be
closed or DISTRACTED by the process of granula-
don, as tho track of the ball was between the
ribs, for the reason that the cut is through the
soft parts of the body where there are 20 bones
to prevent the spreading or separation of the
sides of the wound whenever they begin to
close in the process Of healing. The present
inciison therefore can be kept open and rnoh-
strQcted as long as may be necessary and no
fear is entertained OF a further suppression Of
the discharge.