The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-10-03
Official Report Of the Sur
gical Examination.
The Cause of President Gar
fields Death Explained.
Report Not Signed by Drs.
Agnew and Hamilton.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. Following is
the official report of the autopsy of Presi-
dent Garfield, prepared by the surgeons in
charge:
As the report contains paragraphs de-
failing the observations made at Washing
ton on the pathological specimens preserv-
ed for that purpose, the names of Drs
Hamilton, Agnew and Smith are not ap-
pended. 1t has, however, been submitted
and they have given consent to the other
portions of the report.
Official record of the post morsem ex-
animation of the body of President Gar
field made Sept. 90, 1881, commencing at
430 p. M, 18 hours after death, at Frank
lyn cottage, Elberon, n. j.: w
THE BODY
was considerably emaciated, the face much
less wasted than the limbs, Preservative
fluid had been injected by the embalmer a
few hours before into the left femoral
artery; the pipes used were still in position.
There was no ecchmosis or other discolora-
ton of any part Of the abdomen. Just
below the right ear and little behind was
an oval liberated opening about half an
inch in diameter from which some sami-
Gus pus was escaping, but no turnefaction
was observable in the parotid region A
considerable number of purpuralite spots
were scattered thickly over the left scapula
and thence forward as far as the axilla
Thay ranged from an eighth to fourth of
an inch in diameter, were slightly elevated
and furfuraceous on the surface, and
many of them were continent in groups of
two to four or more. A similar but much
less abundant eruption was observed spar
sely scattered over the corresponding
region on the right side
An oval excavated u1ier about an inch
long, the result of a small carbunc1e, was
seated over spirous process OF the tenth
dorsal vertebra Over the sacrum were
four small bed sores, the largest about half
an inch in diameter, few score of pus-
tules and number of irregular spots of
post mortem hypostatic congestion were
scattered over the shoulders, back and but
tocks. The inferior part of the scrotem
was much discolored by hypostatic conges-
ton. A group Of hemorrhaldal tumors
rather larger than walnut protruded from
the anus. The depressed cicatIix OF the
wound made by the bullet was recognized
over the tenth intercestal space, three and
half inches to the right of the ventebrel
spires. A deep linar incision made in the
part of the operation of July %, and ex-
tended by that of August s, occupied posi-
ton closely corresponding to the upper
border of the right twelfth
rib. It commenced about two inches
from LIlC VeIItDTdl SDiIcS anu CAtCIIOtCei
forward little more than three inches.
At the interior extremity of this incision
there was deep, nearly square, abraded
surface about an inch across. A well oiled
Catheter about fourteen inches long was
passed into the wound More resistance
was encountered than has been usual, but
after several trials the catheter entered
without violence to its full length. 1t was
then left in position, aud the body dfspos-
ed supinely for examination.
The -viscera of the Uranium was not OPP
ened. A long incision was made from the
superior extremity OF the sternum to the
pubes followed by a transverse 1nc1sIon
crossing the abdomen just below the um
bilious. The four flaps thus formed were
turned back and the abdominal vlscera ex-
posed The subcutadeous adipose tissue,
divided by incisiOn, was little more than
one eighth Of an inch thick over the thor
ak, but was thicker over the abdomen, be-
ing about quarter of an inch thick along
the linea alba and half an inch
thicker toward the outer extremity of
the tranverse incision. On inspection OF
the abdominal viscera situa the transverse
colon was observed to lie a little above the
line of the umbilicus 1t was firmly adher-
ent to the anterior edge of the liver. The
greater omentum covered the intestines
pretty thoroughlyfrom the transverse colon
almost to the pelvis. 1t was still quite
fat and very much blackened by virous-
The connection on both sides of its lateral
margins were adherent to the abdominal
paroties. Opposite the eleventh and
twelfth ribs, on the left side the adhes-
ions were numerous firm, well organized
and probobly old { A foot note here says
these adhesions and the firm ones on the
right side as well as those On the spleen
,ancoihlu date haa1x tn nd cbo a. e
fects OF the chronic dysentary, from which
the patient is said to have suffered during
the war.
On the right side were a few similar adhe-
sions and number of more delicate and
probably recent ones A mass of blacl
coagulated blood covered and congealet
the spleen and left margin OF the greatel
omentum. On raising the omentum it wal
found that this blood mass extended
through the left lumbar and most regions
dropping down into the p1evis in which
was some clotted blood and rather more
than pint of bloody fluid. A foot note
here says that a large part of this fluid hao
probably transcribed from the injection
OF the embalming fluid. The blood coag
ulated having been turned out and col
iected, measured nearly pint it-xas- now
evident that secondary hemorrage had
been the immediate cause of DEATH
but the point from which the blood
mad escaped was not at once ap-
parent. The omentum was not adherent
to the lntestines, which were moderately
dlstended with gas. No intestionaT ad-
heslons were found other than those~ be-
tween the transverse colon and liver al
ready mentioned. The abdominal cavity
now being washed out as thorouuhIy as
possible, fruitless attempt was made to
obtain some indication of the position of
the bullet before making any further in
clslons, by pushing the intestines aside.
The extremity of the catheter which had
been passed into the wound could be felt
between the peritoneum and right lilac
1ascia. but it had evidently doubled unon
Itself, and although a prolonged search was
made, nothing could be seen or felt to in
dicate the presence Of the bullet there or
elsewhere.
THE ABDOMINAL vISCERA
was then carefully removed from the boav
and placed in suitable vessels and examined
serlatum with the following result: The
adneslons between the liver and the trans
verse colon proved to bound an abscess
cavity between the under surface of the
liver and transverse meso colon, involving
the gall bladder and extending to about