The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1881-12-01

secretary of the interior is charged with
the supervision of all public business
relating tn the census, the public lands,
mines, the Indian pensions and bounty
lands, patents, the custody and distribu-
| ton OF publications, education and
| hospitals and aSylumS, This is an enor.
nous field. Since 1873 the secretary of
the interior has also exercised all the
powers and performed all the duties in
relation 10 the territories, which prior to
that time, had by law or custom been
exercised and performed by the secreia-
Ty of state, and this department was
created only thirty years ago. What
enormous proportions might not de
apartment Of agriculture, covering all
the staples of our export trade, present
and future, very rapidly assume! Con
gress will do well To 80 very slow on
this road, and the farmers of the coun-
try, who have got along magnificently
for century without any pet depart
ment at Washington 10 supervise and
he-devil their great industry, will do
/ we'll to think twice before they put their
heads into any such trap.
\ Statement from Surgeon Lamb.
WASHINGTON, Nov 2S.-Acting As
siSlant Surgeon Lamb, who performed
| the autopsy upon the body of President
Garfield furnishes the following: There
prevails to some extent an impression
that the examination ot the body of
the late President Garfield was careless
| and at haphaZard, and without order and
method, and the bullet was only found
by accident. This impression Is entire
ly incorrect. The order of examination
was preaTrangcd IN Il consultation had
for the purpose, and was carried out as
| far as the developments of the autopsy
permitted. 1t was necessary to ascertain
the extent and character of the injury,
and If possible, Ia obtain the missile.
All things considered, the only way In
which these objects cold be accomplished
was by first opening the abdominal cavi-
ties. Much has been said about the bullet
being found i'll a basin, and the state
menJ has been industriously circulated
by prejudiccd parties. The facts are as
follows: The search for the bullet was
prosecuted carefully, Systematically and
successfully, and the latter was no small
matter in view of the fact that in many
post mortem examinations, even after
careful, laborious and persistent search,
The missil has not been found. 1t was
first sought for near the Gorin, where it
was expected by some il would be found.
Failing to find it there the pus channel
was then followed up, but this procedure
made 1t necessary to
REMOVE THE EVERYTHING ORGANS.
These removed paris were temporarily
placed in large china wash bowl until
they could be examined in the order
prescribed in the preliminary consulta-
lion. The pus channel led up to the
fractured ribs and vertebra. The posi-
ton of the opening of the exit of the
bullet from the latter, indicated the
TorfnIah IN iFu nf iss f.trf l. hav
l.orrhage clot, in the tissue removed.
During the examination of the
vertebra one of the surgeons assisting
turned his attention 20 the parts remov-
ed, and discovered there the position of
| the bullet. There was nothing at all of
the nature of an accident in the manner
in which it was found. It had formed
of itself a cyst wall beneath the pan
creas. After completing the examina-
ton of the verlebra cut the cyst open
and took the bullet out of it. 1t had
| been suggested by some that after the
removal of the parts from the body their
relations could no longer be recognized.
This difficulty could only occur TO one
who was unfamiliar with anatomy. No
| former reply has been made TO the many
unjust and often senseless criticisms
which have been so freely bestowed upon
this autopsy. | had expected that q
complete exposition Of the points criti-
cised would he made in the course of
the testimony of the medical witnesses,
but with one exception they were afford
ed no opportunity, and the gentleman
excepted inadvertently admitted the
same particulars related above. | be-
lieve, therefore, that the public should
be made acquainted with the facts, in
order that it may not either misjudge the
surgeons or suppose the autopsy was in
complete, or was improperly conducted.
(Signed) ID. S. LAME,
Acting Assistant Surgeon.