Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-07-27
A DAY OF RUMORS.
UNF0UNDED REPORTS CONTRA
DICTED.
Bone Splinters Taken from the
WOuPd-The Patient Much Re-
IIeVCd-The Consulting Surgeons
In Attendance-Dr. Bliss Again
CODfident-OD SII9h Fever-HOw
Public Faith IL shaken.

This was at no time more apparent than
to day. On the heels of the bulletin came
the information that an operation had been
performed. Even this was attempted TO be
denied, but the denial could rot stand long.
The necessity for the operation arose from
irritating causes, which, It was ascertained
when the wound was dressed this morning,
had again stopped the flow Of pus Dr. Ag-
new did not arrive until this morning. He
was present at the consultation, and, after
the bulletin was formulated, stated that an
operation would have to be performed.
This was done.
The operation was through the incision
made by the first operation on Sunday last.
The opening of that incision, which. It will
be remembered, was to reach the pus sac,
was enlarged and a forceps used TO extract
the pieces of the shattered rib, which were
the cause of the irritation. Two pieces Of
rib, each about au inch long, were taken
Gu aud about fifteen splinters of bone. DR.
AgDew. who concluded this operation, then
used medical elevator, and by Its means
placed the frac ured rib IN its proper posi-
tion. All this took about two hours, du-
ring which the President suffered much
pain. He was not plsc d under the infu
ence of al @s hetics.
After this the fever disappeared, and uu-
der the inf lenee Of morphine the President
slept for about half an hour during the fore
noon. During the afternoon he secured
some more sleep, and this evening is doing
very well. The physicians say his pulse
has gone down and all of the symptoms are
almost normal. The bulletin issued this
evening is very favorable. 1t shows that
the patient is in a favorable condition, and
that there is no great cause for immediate
alsrG.
It is not attempted to be denied, how
ever, by any of the physicians that the
President is a very sick man, and is still 10
great danger. The President at late hour
to night was doing well. The physicians
spoke very confidently of the case. DIR.
Woodward said the indications were more
favorable than at any time since last Thurs
day. There has been no fever to-day. The
Presidents appetite has been very good.
DE- Bliss said that the wound had dis
charged more freely than usual. The set
back OF today, he said, was not unex-
pected, and that the whole case got alorg
better than most cases of the kind. Further
complications, he said, might arise, but
they had the case under such control that
he thought he could counteract any such
emergencies. Everything is more hopeful,
be said, to night than for some days. "The
President is going to get WE'LL" and DR.
Bliss emphasized that assertion.
A CONSULTING SURGEON IN ATTENDAN CE.
10A.M Unofficial Bulletin The Presi-
dent at this hour is resting comfortably, and
the surgeons express themselves as salts
fed with his present condition. A rumOr
has been circulated that the President had
another chill this morning. Those who are
thoroughly acquainted with the facts, how
ever, deuy the story, and say that the pa
tient has had no chills since those which
occurred previous to the incision. DR.. Ag-
new has been here 1.-THE morning. Oae Of
the consulting surgeons will be in attend
ance daily for the present. DIR. Hamilton is
expected to return to night, at which time,
unless some unforeseen emergency arises,
DR.. Agnew will probably again return to
Philadelphia.
PIECES FROM THE RIB.
- NJ. Unofficial Bulletin Col. Rock
well, who just came from the Presidents
chamber, says the patient is resting very
comfortably, and he considers that he is
doing as well as could reasonably be ex-
pected under the circumstances. In re-
spouse to a question as to whether there had
been or would be any further operations
performed on the President, he said: "NO
There has been but one operation, aud,
judging from present indications, we do
not anticipate that any more will be neces
STATED" COntiuuir g the Colonel said that
at the morning dressing of the wound the
surgeons took several small pieces of bones
from the wound, which are supposed to be
from the fractured rib.
RUNIoRs CoNTRADICTED.
2:2OP. N. Unofficial Bulletin THE re-
ports which have been telegraphed hence
to day. to the effect that a serious operation
was performed this forenoon for the pur-
pose of It moving part of the Presidents
fractured rib, are without foundation. The
wound has not been touched since morning,
and the only Operation" performed then
was the pulling out by De- Bliss
with his fingers OF two or three small spic-
u'9 of splintered bone, which clogged the
pus. The surgeons do not admit that there
is Anything critical or dangerous in the
Presidents condition this afternoon. On
the contrary, they say that he has had fair
ly comforts bic day that the discharge from
the wound this morning, although not
large, was not so scaniy as to indicate any
new complication; that the patient at this
hour, 2:20 p. m, is free from fever and is
resting quietly, and that his general cOndi-
&c af laac
P NJ. Unofficial Bulletin The Prest
dent has had a comfortable day, and in the
opinion of the surgeons is better now than
he was at this time yesterday. His tempera-
ture during the greater part of the after
neon has been normal. His pulse is not
high, and his general condition. is good.
There has been no recurrence up to this
hour of the afternoon fever.
P. NJ TOficial Bulletin The Presi-
dent has done we'll during the dav. At the
dressing of the wound after the morning
bulletin was issued, displaced speculum
Of broken rib about half an inch long was
removed. The track Of the wound at this
point was dilated and a larger drainage
tube inserted for facilitating the discharge
OF the pus. Since that time he had several
quiet maps, had taken more nourishment
than on any Of the last five days, without
gastric irritation, ,.and, when the wound was
dressed this evening, the discharge of
healthy pus was satisfactorily abundant.
at noon his pulse was 1O6, temperature
9S 4, respiration 10. At Z .. M, pulse lO4,
temperature 100 Z, respiration %.
REVIEW OF THE DAY.
11:30 P. M.-There has been more excite
ment and anxiety throughout the city with
regard to the condition of the President to-
day than at any time since last Saturday
morning. The removal of small splinter
of hone from the wound at the morning
dressing was exaggerated to a serious, pain
full and weakening operation. The reticence
of the attending surgeon with regard to
the details Of the patients case was taken
as a tscit admission that something was
wrong. A personal note. which one of the
surgeons happened to send to Professor
Bell, was interpreted as an indication that
the ball was to be at once located by the
Professors induction balance, and then cut
out as a last resort, and a general impress
sion prevailed at the departments, on the
streets, and throughout the city, that
the Presidents condition was in the
highest degree critical and alarming.
For all these wild rumors and exaggerated
statements, however. there was little, If any,
foundation, and the fact that they gained
credence at all only shows how much the
faith OF the public in the Presidents ulti
mate recovery has been shaken by the
events of the past four days. In reality the
President has been more comfortable to day
than at any time since the formation of the
pus cavity, and has nearly regained the
ground which he lost on Saturday last.
The taking out Of the splinters of bone
from the wound at the morning dressing
was very simple matter, aud instead of