New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-21
THE DEAD PRESIDENT.
PREPARATIONS FOR HIS BURIAL.

ecpSFs AT ELBERoN-RoUTE OF THE FUNERAL
WASHINGTON TO OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF
THE PRESIDENTS BODY By THE SURGEONS
CAUSE OF DEATH.
The Presidents body was prepared for
burial at Elberon yesterday, and At
torney-General Macveagh made all the ar
rancements for its transportation from
Elberon to Washington and then to Cleveland,
where it will be buried in Lake
View Cemetery. The surgeons examined
the body, and discovered that the
Presidents strength had been depleted by
internal hemorrhage, and that he was also
suffering from an abscess and weak lungs
letter of coincidence with Mrs. Garfield was
received from the Queen of England.
THE CAUSE OF DEATH.
RESULT OF TIE EXAMINATION OF THE BODY BY
THE sURGEoNs-A GREAT INTERNAL HEMoR-
RHAGE--A PINT OF BLOOD IN THE ABDOMINAL
CAvITY-AN ABsCEss CAvITY-EvIDENCEs OF sE-
WERE BRONCHITIS.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.I
LONG BRANCH. N. j., Sept. 2O--The autopsy on
the Presidents body lasted about three and half
hours One of the gentlemen present makes the
following statement in regard to it:
The ball was not found until the various parts of
the abdomen were explored and cut asunder. The
ball in its course broke the eleventh rib, fractured
the spinal column but did not touch the spinal cord
II lodged two and a half three inches directly
to the left of tho spinal column in
the mesentery. The channel which has hitherto been
supposed to be the track of the ball proved to be
pus cavity formed by the burrowing of the pus
downward.
Al J,n1;o IN-
my informant to have bent upon itself, deceIving
the surgeons in regard to the real depth of the
wound. There was large abscess between the
liver and the gall duct, which according to
the same authority was mctastatic.
This abscess was not connected with the track of
the wound or the channel formed by burrowing.
On each of the kidneys was a small abscess. The
lungs, especially the right one, were badly
diseased. A large amount of pus flowed
freely from the bronchial tubes, while by
cutting into the tubes considerable amount
of pus was discovered in little metastatic assesses
there was purulent infltration of both lungs This
pus was healthy. There were Assesses in the
liver itself, but those in the kidneys me-
tastatic or pyscmic. There adhesions
of the lungs to the chest wall at
the upper part of each lung. showing previous
peurisy whether it antedated the shooting the
animation did not show. The intestines were very
adherent one to another, showing the existence
of former peritonitis. The abscess in the
right kidney was not opened. The rigors
from which the President has been suffering
for few days probablycaused by the Assesses
between the liver and the gall duct.
The authority from which this information is
gathered says that proves the presence of pynnia
DR.. Bliss the other hand says that while ther,
were septic conditions there was no py9mia.
The following official bulletin prepared a
il o'clock tonight by the surgeons who have
been in attendance upon the late President:
BY previous arrangement post -mortem examiua
ton of the body of President Garfield made
this afternoon i'll the presence and with the assist
ance of Drs. Hamilton, Agncw Bliss, Barnes, Wood
ward, Reyburn, Andrew III. Smith, of Elberon, anC
Acting Assistant-SurgeoD ID. S. Lamb. of the Army
Medical Museum of Washington. The operation
performed by DR.. Lamb. 1t was found
that the ball, after fracturng the right eleventh
rib, had passed through the spinal column in front
Of the spinal cord, fracturng the body of the first
lumbar vertebra, driven "a number Of small frag-
ments of bone into the adjacent soft parts and
lodging below the pancreas, about two inches and
half TO the left OF the spine, and behind the pertO
Deum, where it had become completely encystcd.
The immediate of death secondary
hemOrrhagc from one of the meseuteric arteries ad
joining the track of the ball. the blood ruptuTinl
the pertoneum, and nearly pint escaping into th
abdominal cavity. This heGorrhage is believed t
have been the cause of the severe pain in the lowe
part of the chest complained of just be
fore death. An abscess cavity, six inche
by four in dimensions, found in the vicinity o
the gall bladder, between the liver aud tho trans
verse colon which were strongly adherent 1t di,
not involve tho substance of the liver, and no com
tnunieatiOn was found between it and the wound.
long suppurating channel extended from tn
external wound. between the lOin muscles and th
right kidney, almost to the right groin. This chan
mel, now known to be due to the burrowiug of pu
from the wound. supposed during life to have
been the track of the ball.
On an examination of the organs of the chest ev1
dences of severe bronchitis were found on botI
sides with broncho pneumonia of the lower portion
OF the right lung and, though to much less ex
tent OF the left The lungs contained no abscesses
aud the heart clots. The liver enlarged am
tatty, but not from assesses. Nor any foun'
In any other organ except the left kidney, whicl
contained its surface small absccss about one
third of an inch in diameter
In reviewing the history of tho case in connection
with the autopsy. il is quite evident that the differ
ent suppurating surfaces, and especially the frac
tnred, spongy tissue of the vertebr;e. furnish sui
hcient PLANTATION of the septic condition which
ited.
d. w. BLISS.
J. X. BARNES.
j. J. WOODWARD.
Robert REYBURN.