Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-08-03
The Battle Of the Doctors.


nence has been almost equally exceptional
in the bitterness of the antagonistic views
of the medical fraternity. But it is a note
worthy fact that the criticisms upon the
management of the case come, we may
fairly say, entirely from those who have no
direct personal knowledge of the nature Of
the presidents wound, while all the evidence
goes to show that there is substantial unan-
unity among the physicians aud attendants
who are watching over this patient of world
wide interest and solicitude. As in the case
of DIR. Hammond, who was dismissed by
court martial from his office of surgeon gen
eral OF the army, some of these medical
critics do not escape the suspicion Of inim-
ical or jealous motives for their disparaging
comments on the ability of their profess
sional brethren in attendance at the white
house. A portion of the press, too, has
contributed by ill-advised comment to Gre
ate feeling of distrust not only in the
skill of the attending physicians but also in
the truthfulness of the bulletins which they
have daily published for the information of
the world. The Free Press of Thursday
had an editorial in this vein. 1t based its
structures upon the following singularly di-
rect and reliable information, having appa-
rently failed to receive its customary private
dispatches "Thus a Washington cores
pendent says that the officer in command of
the military guard at the white house tells
him that during the night of the 10Th in
slant, President Garfield was regarded as in
articulo norris, the vice-president was sum-
moned and also a justice of the supreme
court to administer the official oath to him,
and the members of the cabinet were all
present until morning. Nothing of this was
given to the public, but on the contrary the
bulletins reported the president as gaining in
health and strength to gratifying and en-
couraging extent on that night" When it is
considered that Washington correspondent
and subordinate military officer in command
of a small guard at the white house would be
the natural channel through which informa-
ton of the gravest character would hatur-
ally find its way to the people, the sufIiciency
of the grounds for the Free Press apprehen-
sions, "that the medical men are conceaing
the presidents real condition from the peo-
pie, and that their bulletins are written for
the purpose of allaying alarm rather than of
presenting the actual state of President Gar
fields health" must be conceded.
The official bulletins of corps of physi-
clans representing the best medical and sur
gical skill in the country, the state depart
ment's dispatches to our ministers in foreign
countries, and the testimony of the presi-
dents constant attendants may have no
weight against such direct and reliable in
formation as forms the basis of "suspicion
or something stronger than suspicion that
the president has been at the point of death,
and that the public are being systematically
deceived as to the actual state of President
Garfields health but we believe the general
public are not yet prepared to believe that
the suffering chief magistrate lies at the
mercy of quacks and coterie of conscience
less medical incapables. The facts as to
the treatment of the president are stated by
the Boston advertiser, and events strongly
confirm its statements "Those among the
presidents friends who have watched the
treatment with the most critical eyes have
been Doctors Boynton and Edison, both hon.
~opaths, General Swain and Colonel Rock
well. Both General Swain and Colonel Rock
well are medical graduates, and both have
seen much of gun-shot wounds in the war. In
their relations of friends they have had full
and free consultations with Mrs. Garfield in
regard to every step taken by the surgeons
in charge. These being the facts of the
situation, it is easily seen that they give
great force to the further declaration of the
gentlemen that from first to last all those
named above have given hearty support to
the physicians in what they have done, and
there have been no disagreements among
them as to the treatment, and no expressions
of dissatisfaction. Next to the perfect sat
isfaction with which these friends, each
with much experience and professional
knowledge, have regarded the treatment of
the surgeons in charge, is the entire accord |
with which the four surgeons in attendance
have labored together in the case, and upon
this branch of the subject the fact is i'm |
portant that both the eminent consulting
surgeons have fully approved the course of |
treatment pursued from the first. These |
statements from one intimately connected |
with the president and in attendance upon
him, and one wholly independent of any of |
the surgeons who have had to do with the |
case, effectually disposes of the reports SO |
industriously circulated that the physicians
did not agree among themselves, and that |
the near friends of the president were dis
satisfied with the treatment
We believe the surgeons have given the ex-
act facts as to the condition of the president, |
and that there exists no substantial reason |
whatever to discredit the surgical and med |
ical skill with which he has been treated. |
In view of the utter insufiiciency of grounds |
for adverse criticism, the tendency of all |
disparaging comment by the press OF by in
dividuals is as unwise as it is unjust, and |
when such criticism and false information |
are made to serve the ends of speculation, as
they undoubtedly have, the critic and false
informants should be made to feel the heavy |
hand of public denunciation, and of Grim
inal prosecution if that be possible.