Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-08-24
DIR. d. HAYES AGNEW ON THE
WOUND.
4 Replyto Certain Recent Perversions
of Facts and Missiatements.
From Dr. Agnew's Letter in tine Times.

From DR.. Agnew's Letter in tine Times.
1t is very easy, even for a medical
man, in reporting an informal CONVEX
sation on professional subject to omit
technical exactitudes, especially where
anatomical questions are concerned,
and thus materially change the true
thought of the informant. That such
has been the case in the article which
called forth my card will appear from
the following statements, which shall
be made as brief as possible
First. 1t is stated that the wound
had been explored to the depth of about
seven inches. This statement would
lead the reader to infer that the explo-
ration had been made from the point
of entrance of the ball and that the
track of the missile had been traced
seven inches, whereas, rs was stated,
the exploration was made through the
counter-opening, or abscess, the depth
of which, to the point where the ball
passed the rib, was two inches and a
half, which would leave for the track
of the ball a distance of only four and
a half inches
Second l am made to say that the
precise location of the ball is either in
the quadratus lumborum or the psoas
magnus muscle. The precise location
of the ball / have never professed to
know. I did say that in my judgment
the missile passed along the anterior
face of the quadratus muscle, behind
the kidney, and probably was lodged
in the anterior part of the lilac fossa.
The two statements of an exploration
extending seven inches and of ball
lodged in the quadratus lumborum
muscle are wholly irreconcilable On an
atomical grounds, as the entire length
of the muscle named does not exceed
three and half or four inches, and it
is not probable that, having spent the
most of my life in the human body, l
should make mistake on this point.
Third. A cut is introduced showing
the point where the ball entered the
body, and another point at the crest of
the ilium precisely indicating its loca-
ton and which will be seen to be con-
siderably posterior to a perpendicular
dropped from the wound of entrance.
This diagram, as understand it, was
introduced to explain the location of
the ball, as implied by my statements.
Now, in no sense can it be made to in
terpret or explain any statement ever
made by me in reference to this SUBJ
ject. The text of the article distinctly
locates the ball at the crest of the ilium
and at it's posterior part, whereas /
have always suspected and many times
have said to members of my profession,
that there were strong reasons for be-
lieving that the missile was in the ilisc
fossa and anteriorly. If, moreover, the
ball occupies the place indicated on the
diagram it could readily be felt by the
finger.
Fourth. 1 am represented as saying
that the liver may have been bruised,
but not lacerated, whereas, / have in
variably stated that after studying the
case / was disposed to believe that the
! liver had been lacerated, and not per-
forated; the laceration being produced
by the rib at the time the latter was
struck by the ball-a supposition
which, if trne, would account for a linn
tied bemorrhage, answering to an area
of percussion dullness present after the
injury, and which has been slowly
clearing up since therefore reaffirm
that in no particular of several details
mentioned in regard to the Presidents
wound have / been correctly reported
at the same time again disclaiming any