Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-07-25

the necessity for it, Dr.. Reyburn MADE IN
substance the following statement:
The direction taken BY the bullet after IL
entered the BODY was forward and slightly
DOWN. ard until it struck one OF the ribs IL
was thence DETECTED still further downward
and little to the right. so as to make an
acute angle with the line of the back In
other words. when a probe was introduced
into the wound to the depth of three or three
and a half inches, its direction was sYch init
its inner end was only an inch and nan
from the outside of the body at the point
down
The examination which was made IN the
presence of Drs. Agnew and Hamilton tins
morning, showed that the pus cavity had
formed in the track of the ball near and be-
yond the point where it glanced from the rib,
and that this cavity could be reached by
direct incision three inches below the mouth
of the wound. 1t was decided at
once TO perform the operation. No
aneethetics were used, but the part 10 be OPP
Grated upon was benumbed by spray ether,
and a wide cut was made into the pus cavity,
which was reached at depth at little more
than an inch; with the aid of probe and
pair of forceps, drainage tube which was
a small flexible tube of rubber, perforated
with holes was then introduced INTO the
wound made by the ball. and after being
carried through the pus cavity, was brought
out through the newly made incision. One
end of the tube then projected from the cut
made by the surgeons knife and the other
from the mouth of the original wound. As
the pus ozed from the center tube through the
peforation. it could escape from either end,
and was repeatedly washed out with weak
solution of carbolic acid and water, which
went through the tube in a stream. The
discharge which followed the opening of the
pus cavity was entirely satisfactory to the
surgeons and was soon followed by relief
to the patient. The drainage tube has been
| left as it was originally placed and will re-
main there for the present. II the wound
discharges freely through the new opening,
the tube may, perhaps be withdrawn from
the old one in order to allow the latter to
| heal. The incision made to-day Is IN d.
rect line with the deeper parts of the wound.
and it is drought the pus will escape through
it without any obstruction which impeded
/ its out flow along the track of the ball and
which caused the pus cavity. .
In reply to question whether any pus cav
itv is likely to form and bring about a recur-
renee of the alarming symptoms of yesterday,
Dr. Reyburn said Il cannot answer pos
| itively but as the pus now has free egress l
| do not think it possible that another cavity
will form" Upon being asked whether there
were or had been any symptoms in the Presl-
dents case OF pyemia, or blood poisoning.
Dr. Reyburn said None whatever Rlgor
of course, may be a symytom of pyamia, but
it is also symptom of various other compli-
cations, and does not point to pyamia in the
Presidents case. The pus continues healthy
and the characteristic symptoms of pyemia
are all wanting. You may say upon my au-
thority that no indications of blood poisoning
have been observed, and that we have no
reason to expect any"
In conclusion, DIR. Reyburn said that the
Presidents condition and symptoms tonight
are more favorable and more encouraging
than at any time since the chill of yesterday
morning.