Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-08-12
THE WHITE HOUSE PATIENT.
Another Operation suos essfuIIy E-er.
formed.

NO ALARMING SYMPTOMS AND THE Docrons
LOOKING ToI A sTEADv. THOUGH GRADUAL,
IMPROVEMENT.
For two days previous TO last Monday in
creased febrile symptoms were noticed il the
Presidents case which the physicians con-
cluded were due 10 some obstruction TO the
discharge Of pus from the wound, and ii was
decided to open 3 new channel by surgical
operation Accordingly the President WAS
put under the influence Of ether and DR.. Ag-
new performed the operation. the patient
bearing ii well. The necessity for this oper-
alton lay il the fact that the twelfth rib, over
which the track Of the wound passed, formed
an obstacle around and over which the pus
had to be forced by external pressure--the
process Of rrnnulatiuu having gone 50 far as
10 partially close the orifce and the ribs pre-
venting the pushing aside Of the flesh, which
was healing between them enough SO that the
drainage tube could be introduced Or. Ar
new took a delicate instrument with q curved
extremity and passed II through the old chan
mel over the rib and down until the end could
be discovered below the rib. He then held
this instrument in place with his left hand,
and. taking the knife in his right, inserted il
IL the former opening and cut downward aud
inward until the knife met the other instru-
ment below the rib Thus was q new chan
mel opened for the discharge Of pus, and one
that can be kept clear that NO further
trouble need be expected from this cause.
The new incision If about three and half
inches deep and the new tube which was in
serted inclines downward from the inner
channel Of the wound About two ounces Of
accumulated puE were taken from q secretion
within th. rib, and the flow was proceeding
nicely vhen fresh dressings were applied.
The operation was performed soon after g
O'Clock. The operation caused al increase
OF fyer IL the afternoon, but this was no
more than the physicians expected.
Secretary Blaine sent the following des-
patch to Minister Lowell
WASHINGTON, Aug. ..
To LOiosH Minister. LOnd0H
During the past three days tine President
has periodically experienced q rise Of temper
Eture indicating another obstruction 10 the
how of pus surgical operation wac per
formed al O clock tins morning by Or. Ag-
new assisted 10y all the surgeons IL attend
ance. by which free communication be-
tween the pus cavities and the surface Of the
body has been ciectually established The
! operation Wa performed under the influence
! Of ether The President endured il well and
al this hour half past l0l If doing az well n
| could be hoped. BIAISL- Secretary.
A detailed statement was published IL q
! Philadelphia paper on Sunday, and widely
/ copied. that the physicians had probed for
the bullet and found 1t IL the muscles Of the
] back that the liver was not touched by the
/ bullet nor the abdominal cavity entered. etc.
! This statement had no foundation IL fact.
/ Dr. Hamilton who returned 10 New York on
| Monday after the operation told Times re
| porter Oh his arrival that it would be impos-
/ gible 10 follow the bullet the whole length OF
the track made 10y the passage Of the bullet
| with any instrument however flexible. The
4 supposed situation Of the bullet is l. or u
inches from the point where IT entered the
Presidents body, and IL track II 30 sluuou,
/ and Irregular that II could not be followed
I;r. Hamilton thinks the bullet IL lying very
I quietly IL itg present position. and thar the
| graver portion Of the symptoms with which
the Presidents physicians have had 10 dea
have been caused by the comminuted fractur'
OF the rib. Prof Bells experiments were bl
no means entirely successful IL locating th'
bullet, though Or. Hamilton hopes tine pro
lessons apparatus may be SO perfected n 1,
render material service IL TINS direction Tn
doctor SAID he felt sure the liver Wa DO
touched by the bullet
The President endured the operation witt
the same fortitude which be has displayed
from the moment ne received the wound
An Improving CoRditiou.
On Tuesday DR. Bliss gave the President
writing pad and pencil and asked him 1
write his name De did so, writing il & firr
and natural hand james A Garfield, Au
gust .. ISL A." This was the first time sine
the injury that tie President had written hi
signature. and the characteristics Of the hand
writing indicated strength and steady nerves
''He is doing mAgniheently, said DR.. Bis
IL exhibiting the signature.
One OF tine best efscts Of the new opeuini
into the wound has been the establishment G
q free discharge from the wound without Ia
use Of q drainage tube. The healing process
If going OIL rapidly IL the original opening {
the wound. Il il almost entirely healed fruI
its mouth 10 its junction with the frsi inch
ion.
The condition Of the President was consit
cred so satisfactory on Tuesday that Or. Al
new did not consider II was necessary Il
him 10 remain with the patient and left fC
! Philadelphia al o'clock ?. n
On Wednesday there WIS evidence thai Ii
9 disturbance caused by Mondays operEriu
had nearly subsidized. The Presidents pulls
which had been high during the earlier pa,
{ Of the day and which indicated more tina
ordinary weakness, fell from 40 10 100 IL II
COURSE Of the afternoon, and Eis tempsrglul
at the evening examination was lower than
had been at the same hour Oh any day slns
the 9th
! On Wednesday afternoon the Presidel
performed his first Official nc; since the se
/ ond day Of July by signing formal requis
ton for the extrRdition Of Il criminal VII
SOME time since took refuge IL Canada, an
I | nov Is il the custody Of the Canadian Rutho
! tiles pending the action Of this government
DR. Agnew said on wednesday "Tt
! President viii not be moved 10 the soldier
home for the present There "a really L
need Of IT, and would be very unwilling
see him carried about much anywhere. I'll
condition Of President Garfield is not alarm
; ing, whRtever the reports may appear 10 II
dicate The impartial truthfniness Of the +
: ports give rise 10 wrong impressions anon
persons unfamiliar with cases Of this kind.
am not discouraged nor over anxious. II
s President is doing very well, and sverythin
E is decidedly favorable 10 his recovery"
! Gratifying Improy ement on Thursda,
= Thursday mornings official bulletin STATE
% that the President had passed al exceeding
c good night, sleeping well with but few Eho
p breaks, and awakened refreshed at 8 lat
hour than usual Al the morning dressing
= was found that the deeper parts Of the WON
E had been emptied spontaneously. The qua
7 tity of pus secreted Is beginning 70 Diminish
j its character and the appearance Of the wouI
c art healthy. His temperature showed al e.
0 tire absence Of fever IL the morning, and b
f pulse, which is becoming less frequent, If IL
! proving il quality.
where She RnIlsE Is
When asked on Thursday 10 state the loo
ton Of the bullet in language 80 plain that an
body could understand II, DIR. Hamilton sRit
''The ball entered the body through the III
u rib, breaking it. and about four inches
p front Of the spine II was then turned {
= rectly downward toward the hips inside
u the flesh which oOmpOses the loins, but ha
: Of the liver, kidneys and intsstines, ana nC
a lies, probably, Just within the basin OF 4
bones constituting the palvis, about five inch
= above the groin" The doctor, in his wiliin
ness 70 eXplain the course of the ball and