River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-08-11
The Presidential Patient.
THAT BULLET.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-The following
3, Dr1f p,.llfo yanart.

The Presidential Patient.
THAT BULLET.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-The following
is Prof. Bells report
VOLTA LABORATORY,
1921 CONNECTICUT AvESUE,
WAsBINeToS. d. c., Aug. l.
To the Surgeons IN attendance, on Prest-
dent Garfield:
GENTs:-I beg to submit for your in
formation brief statement of the re-
suit obtained with the new form of in
dication balance on experiments made
this morning, for the purpose of locat-
ing the bullet in the president. The
instrument was tested for sensitiveness
several times during the course of the
experiments, and was found to respond
well to the presentation of the fiattened
bullet at about four inches from the
coils, when the exploring coils
were passed over that part of the abdo-
men where sonorous spots are observed.
In the experiments made July 20, the
feeble tone was perceived, but the eff
feet was audible considerable distance
around this spot. The sounds were
feeble, too feeble to be entirely salts
factory. As | had reason to expect
from the extreme sensitiv eness of the
instrument much more marked effect,
in order to ascertain whether similar
sounds might be obtained in another
locality, | explored the whole right
side and the back below the entrance
of the bullet, but no part gave indica-
lions of the presence of metal, except an
area of about two inches in diameter,
containing within it a spot previously
found to be sonorous. Experiments
were repeated by Taintor with
corresponding results, we are therefore
justified in concluding that the ball is
located within the above named area.
In our previous experiments we find
that bullet like the ore in question.
when in it's normal shape, produced no
audible effect beyond the distance of
24 inches, while the same bullet fiat
tened and presented with its face par
allel to the plane of coils gave indica-
tions up to distance of nearly five
inches,
BELLS ELECTRIC MACHINE.
WASHINGTON, August 1.-The presi
dent still continues to improve steadily.
The surgeons this afternoon located
the bullet with Prof. Bells improved
electrical apparatus. Prof. Bell has
been working night and day to perfect
his apparatus. The apparatus as here
tofore used, consisted of two circular
primary coils of insulated copper, three
inches in diameter and half an inch In
thickness The one being constructed
of No. 10 wire and containing between
z or ohms of resistance, forming the
primary coil, and the other of 20 or 30
wires, giving more than so ohms of re-
sistance, being the second coil; they
are connected in separate metal
ic circuits. In the circuit with
the former, there is placed
an electrical battery, and spring
vibrator. The latter is so adjusted as
to make very rapid series of breaks
of the circuit; sending hundred or
more electric pulses over the circuit,
and around the primary coil of wire
per second A hand telephone only
is placed in the circuit with the secon-
dairy coil, the batteries being connected
and the vibrator set in motion, the
secondary coil is placed so as to cover
the primary, and the operator having
the telephone at his ear, hears the
DuISdblOl vi tllC tuAAtiio 10
sent through the vibratory with each
motion of its spring, an induced current
being produced in the secondary
coil by its contiguity with the primary
bell increased its sensitiveness by using
only one coil in each circuit and by adj
ing to the primary circuit condenser,
similar in form to that used for like
purpose in connection with the rum
boff coil, and with certain systems of
telegraphy. This proved to be the act
which crowned the efforts of the expert
mentors with success. Bells instru
ment, to-day, plainly indicated the
presence of the ball where DR.. Bliss
had located it, right beneath the dis
colored place that showed itself on the
right side of the abdomen a
week ago. An experiment was
made in the presidents case.
The presidents back was explored for
some time without any results, but
when the dcteetor was placed over a
point of the abdomen where discol-
ored protuberance made its appear
ance Immediately after the wound oc-
Cured, indistinct audible effects were
noticed. This was confrmatory in so
IdG dS IL MGIit, Dlib UlIC bllCOl VI Viz f1b-
tendant physicians in regard to where
the bullet is embedded, was not suffic
iently defni to warrant feel
ing of certainty. Doctor Agnew
was present when the experiment was
made, but Dir. Hamilton was not. Sat
urday night he was DESTROYS
to witness a repetition of the expert
ment, and Prof Bell went to the white
house for that purpose, when, however,
they made known that it greatly en-
HANGED the result of later experiments,
it was decided to postpone further test
upon the president until this morning,
when the position of the bullet was
made definitely known. The expert
ment took place at $50 O'Clock this
morning.
AT p. UNOFFICIAL.
The president remained with his
head and shoulders elevated until the
time for dressing the wound this even
ing. He continues to progress in sat
isfactOry manner, and the wound dis
charges healthy pus from the deeper
as well as superficial portions. He has
taken nourishment well and in suffici-
emf quantities, and in all respects con-
tinues to do well. The rise of temper
ature this evening is slight. AT pres
ent his pulse is 104, temperature 99.5,
respiration 20.
Signed, D. W. BLISS,
J. K. BARNES,
]. J. WOODWARD,
REBT. REYBURN,
ID. HAYES AGNEw.
ATT 10 N-UNOFFICTAI.