The daily gazette., 1881-07-25
WHAT THE PHYSICIANS SAY OF
THE NATURE AND SREsULT (OF
Yesterdays OPERATION.
ExEcUrIvE MANSION
WASHINGTON, July "a.

lUe htteuuiuB buTReouS tO-ulBnt uO
not hesitate to say that there has been q
and, they believe, a perman-
ent improvement 10 the Presidents con-
dition this afternoon. In an interview
with represent of the Asso ciated
Press at p. M DIR. Reyburn expressed
the opinion that the crisis of the disturb
ance caused by the formation of the pus
cavity has passed, and that there 10 now
every reason to expect an abatement, If
not an entire disappearance of the un-
favorable symptoms of the last thirty
six hours. explaining the nature of
the operations performed by DR.. Agnew
this morning, and the necessity for 1t,
DR.. Reyburn said:
"The direction taken by the ball af-
ter it entered the body was forward
and slightly downward until it struck
one of the ribs. 1t was thence de-
fiected still further downward and a
little to the right, SO as to make an
acute angle with the line of the back.
In other words, when probe was in
troduced into the wound to depth of
three or three and half inches, its
direction was such that its inner end
was only about an inch and o half
from the outside of the body at point
lower down. The examination which
was made in the presence of Drs. Ag-
new and Hamilton this morning show
ed that pus cavity had formed in the
track of ball near and beyond where
it glanced fro N 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 an
aesthetics were used, but the part to be
operated upon was benumbed by the
spray of ether, and wide cut was
made into the pus cavity, which was
reached at depth Of q little more
than an inch. With the aid OF a probe
and q pair of forceps, drainage tube,
which is small flexible tube of rubber
perforated with holes, was then intro
duced 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 oozed in
to the tube through the perforation, it
could escape from either end, and was
repeatedly washed out with weak
solution OF carbolio acid and water,
which was thrown through the tube in
o stream.
The discharge which followed the op-
ening of the pus cavity was entirely sat
isfactory to the surgeons, and was soon
follow wed by relief to the patient. The
drainage tube has been lett as II was or.
for the present. II the wound dischar-
ges freely through thesnew opening, the
tnbe may perhaps be withdrawn I rom the
old one, In order to allow the latter tC
heal, The incision made to-day is In q
direct line with the deeper parts Of the
wound, and 1t Is thought that the pus
will escape through 1t without any ol
the obstruction which impeded its out
fiow along the track OF the ball, and
which caased the pus cavity"
In reply to the question whether an.
other pus cavity is likely to form and
bring about recurrence of the alarming
symptoms of yesterday, DR.. Reyburr
| said: 81 cannot answer positively, but
| as the pus has new free egrsss, 1 do moi
think, 1t profile that another cavity viii
form."
On being asked whether there wer,
| or had been any symptoms In the Presi
dents case of py a mia, or blood poison
ing, DR.. Rey burn said: "None what
ever. Rigor, of course, may be o symp
tom of py @mia, but 1t is also sy npton
| of various other complications, and
does not point to rs Bmia In the presen
case.
III conclusion, DIR. Reyburn said tina
the Presidents condition and symptom
night are more favorable and NOR
encouraging than at any time since th
chill of yesterday morBiDR.
Bulletins from the White HOus
| Yesterday.
WASHINGTON, July 25.-At 2 o'clocl
this morning the President was restin
quietly, apparently free from fever. Tn
physicians have not disturbed him sine
the last report to take his pulse and TEN
perature. There are no indications OF
recurrence of the chill.
ExEoUrIvB MANSION, July A.-6.3
a. m.-The President rested very we
last night up to midnight, sleeping quiel
ly at times. Soon after midnight d
had q slight chill which passed away /
lew moments, and since that hour b
has slept but little, although resting q quit
comfortably. A casual examinatio
mauo carly tnts mOFuiuR sootn6u 10 iAu
cate considerable fall In his tempera
ture since last night at O'clock, when
stood at 101.7. He has taken some bet
tea this morning with relish.
$50 p. m The Prssidens's wound ha
just been dressed, and the surgeons fet
still more encouraged.
7p. m.--Tho President has been muc
relieved by the operation Of this morr
ing, and the pus has been dischargin
. satisfactorily through the new openin nj
At noon to-day his pulse was l1a; ten
perature, 80 8; respiration, "a. Az preser
his pulse Is 104; temperature, 80 2; resp
ration, %.
d. w. BLISS, J. j. WOODWARD,
J,K. BARNES, ROBERT REYRuRN
11.3O p. m.-The attending surgeon
report at this hour that the President
resting quietly, and that, although the
!. | have moi tholght Il best to disturb hll