Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-08-10
What Dr. Hamilton Save

seems 10 oe no end TO the capital and enterprise
which go into these latter day improvements.
S. G. A.
What DR.. Hamilton Saws.
WHY 1T WAS NECESSARY TO MAKE ANOTHER IN
CIslON, AND THE EFFECT 1T WILL PROBABLY
HAVE.
The New York Sun of yesterday says:-Dr.
Frank H. Hamilton returned from Washington
at 10 o'clock last night. He said. as he dropped
into his easy chair and stroked the great cat
which had sprung into his lap to welcome her
master: well. sir, suppose you want to know
the necessity of te-1ay's operation? 1t was this:
For two or three days we had observed that
there was a rise of temperature in the
afternoon. land while we thought it was
probably due to the increased heat of the
weather. we didn't feel assured that this was
the fact. We had known for several DAYS
that the cavity behind the broken rib was
rather increasing in size This we ascertained
by first emptying the sac of pus, then filling it
with disinfecting fluid until it overfOwed, and
then emptying the sac and measuring the uuan-
tlty with graduated glass. Each day we found
that the cavity would hold little more of the
fluid. We found also that when the DRAINAGE
it into the track of the wound, it would not
escape along the outer walls of the tube show
ing that the tube filled the canal completely and
served somewhat as an obstruction. 1t was also
by Mr.. Stollman, with permanent curve at it's
lower end. which we had been able to pass down
along the back of tile wound six or seven
inches. was no longer admitted. 1t became ap-
parent. therefore. that If the rise of temperature
on the preceding tiays was due only to the in
creased heat OF the weather. nevertheless the
time was approaching when there would be Sc
rlous obstruction to tbeOutfOW of the pus unless
some means OF prevention were adopted The
conclusion was that if the President was in a
flvr nlll IN tiDy< fnll
opening should he made below the twelfth rib.
where it would be less likely hereafter to be-
come DISTRACTED. Finding this morning that he
had passed very comfortable night. and that
he was in good condition to endure such an
operation, it was made, the President first
being etheriZed'
"What was the RESULT"
"The operation has no doubt inflicted some
temporary injury upon the patient. and it is
quite probable that for a few days to come the
tebrile movements will be little increased. But
Tor this we shall think there will be an adequate
compensation if we secure hereafter free and
uninterrupted discharge of pus. / think now
we shall be able to enter the canal or track of
the wound with drainage tubes. without having
to overcome the great angle in the fiexor of the
canal which seXisted when the tube was intro
duced above the twelfth rib. This new incsion
was, in fact. a prolongation of the old incision
downward and forward to a point below the
twelfth rib"
''Wih the track of the bullet now he loft to
heal?"
sit has already nearly healed"
why did You not cut for the ball %
Because we do not know absolutely it's situ-
alton. The symptoms all point to it's being in
the right lilac fossa, behind the intestines. but
outside the perltoneal cavity. Yet of this fact
we are not absolutely certain. and we think if
would be very bad surgery to cut for it until we
know its situation positively. think it is But
Ter IN his 'Hudibras' who says Shall a man be
dlssected to see what part is disaffected? p Now.
II any one has an idea that we can reach
that pail through the track through which il
entered l can only reply that we have never
been able to follow the whole length of the track
with any instrument, however flexible The
supposed situation of the ball is fully twelve or
fifteen inches from the point of entrance.
and although great many Ingenious in
struments have been devised for following
tracks through which balls have passed every
experienced surgeon would know that to fol-
low such track, with irregular narrowings and
Wldenlngs in It's course, and successfully remove
the ball in this direction is totally impracticable
have received half dozen lettersfrOm gentle.
men in various parts OF the United States suu
costing that it be removed by suction with an
air pump, they forgetting that the track of the
ball probably is much smaller than the bali itself
anu tlat the atmospheric pressure or supposed
suction would act quite as much upon the sides
of the yielding canal as upon its extremity.
In my opinion the ball is lying very Guietlv
in its present position, and the grave porfion Of
the symptoms with which we've had to deal
were due to the fracture of the rib
How do you expect to determine the posi-
ton of the ball:'' f0''
I'm the progress of time swelling and in
fammation subsidies, and we are generally ahle
TO detect in one way or another the exact sitna-
ton OF bullets which have been lost. We feel a
good deal of encouragement that the eyner;-
ments OF Prof Bell, when perfected. NAV rive
US material aid, although upon this point we do
not feel by any means assured. Hitherto his ra
suits have been doubtful. 1t was once or twice
thought that the presence of the bali was dc.
tected by his instrument, but the conclusion was
not positive, owing, as We thought. to certain
defects in his instrument, which my be remedied
by experiments"
What is the Presidents general conat;on,n
The Presidents general Condition not dav
Dy day, but week by week, has been better
You may say that hes said he felt better this
morning before the operation than he had fait
before in long time, and I'd like to reneat that
the operation was made as precantionarv
measure, thinking thatsnow was a most favor.
able time, as he was feeling SO wei. and the
weather was COOL" 'N VIZ
DR.: Hamilton added, ,dryly, with a nalnab,e
twinkle In his eyes, "Itwas one step. Won NAV
add, IN that heroic surgery to which some gen
hOQ h<NnH1