The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-09-24


baggage car, all drawn by locomotive No.
65S, and preceded by pilot engine. Right
Of way was given 10 the train, which start
cd al $3.50 a, m, and ct l;07 p. M, IL reach
ed Elberon Station, Long Branch. Thence a
spur track had been laid 70 the Francklyn
Cattage, on the shore-one Of the first villas
Of Long Branch-which, with one or two
adjoining cottages, had been placed at the
disposal Of the Presidential party. The pa
.ient bore the journey we'll, and his pulse
fell from ll3 at the start to lO2 on arrival
He was safely carried to q beautiful room
overlooking the and though bis pulse
showed decided rise in the evening-l24
being the recorded fgures-he seemed 10
recover from the fatigue Of the journey well,
and the next day or two his condition show
ed improvement. During the passage Of the
train from the capital to Long Branch pub
lie prayers were offered 10 most of the
churches Of the country, aud some classes of
businees were quite generally suspended.
Drs. Barnes, Woodward aud Reyburn were
discharged from the staff Of Presidential at
tendsuts after the arrival at Elberun, by the
Presidents order, and Mrs. DR.. Edsons SER
vices were also dispensed with. AS usual,
Saturday was a bad day with the patient,
though no very serious effects were report
ed. The most unfsvorable symptom dis
closed was a cough, with purulent expcc-
toration, showing that at least one of his
lungs were affected, probably by an abscess,
the result Of the blood poisoning from which
be had been suffering so long. The fact Of
any such trouble with the lungs had been
strenuously denied by DR.. Bliss, aud no
mention Of it made in the official bulletins
till Tuesday morning, September IL, when
IL wan atatad that the on0h woa iaaa nd
the expectoration materially diminished,
and the surgeons claimed that they believed
the danger from this cause passed. The
symptoms, however, gave rise to grave
anxiety on the paIt Of all competent TO- Judge
Of the case. On Tuesday the President seem
ed much better, and sat in a reclining chair
for half an hour. On Wednesday he was
again placed in the chair, and remained for
an hour and half enjoying the view Of the
ocean and taking short nap. The lung
trouble seemed to be causing him no great
suffering. On Tuesday, however, his con-
dition, while not alarming, was not so hope
ful as for some two or three previous days,
and on Friday it was admitted that he was
decidedly worse. The doctors admitted that
the trouble with tho lung was alarming, and
that the wound was not healing at all satis-
foctorily. The President was weaker, both
in body and in mind, and, though the sur
geons did not admit that the case was hope
less, it was said by Attorney General Mac.
Vesgh that crisis was expected within
forty eight hours, and that the result was
awaited with anxiety.
Saturday, the beginning of the twelfth
week of the Presidents illness, was another
critical day. He had chill shortly before
noon, when hts pulse ran up 10 1877. This
chill lasted about half an hour, but he sub
sequently rallied and passed comparative
ly comfortable night. Sunday was appara-
emily a more comfortable day up 10 the
hour Of the evening dressing of the wound, +,
when his pulse was l02. Shortly after, how
ever. he had another chill, lasting ten or IF
teen minutes. 1t was short, sharp and se-
we're, according to DR.. Bliss, though not as
bad as Saturdays. When it passed off he
fell into quiet slumber, and though grave
apprehensions were OF course felt by all
around him there was nothing to warrant
anticipations of speedy fatal result.
On Monday, September 10, while the sur
geons were dressing the wound in the morn
ing another chill came on and the operation
was suspended. The patient seemed to suf-
fer greatly during the chill, which lasted
for about twenty minutes, while the pulse
ran up to 143. The surgeons admitted that
there was little hope OF change Tor the
better, the Presidents strength being near
ly gone, while the lung was seriously af-
fected. Mrs. Garfield was declared to have
given up hope, for the first time in all these
dreary weeks. In spite of all these dis.
couraging symptoms, however, such was
the sufferers vitality that be rallied some
what, and the afternoon passed with no
further cbills or other bad features, aud at
$3.50 p. M, he was said to be resting quietly.
This was but the pause before the 6nal act
in the Presidents life, and at 1880 he was
reported sinking fast and all The surgeons
were instantly assembled at his bedside.
Five minutes later the Presidents suffer-
ings were over, and his worn aud wasted
form lay .lifeless. Attorney General Mac
Veagh notified Vice President Arthur of the
sad event by telegraph, and the members o f
the Cabinet were called together.
THE POST MoRTEM EXAMINATION.
ELBkRoN, Sept 2O.-The following ofic
ial bulletin was prepared at IL o'clock to-
night, by the surgeons who hnve been in
attendance upon the late President:
By previous arrangement post mortem
examination of the body of President Gar
field was made this afternoon, in the pres-
ence and with the assistance of Drs. Ham.
ilton, Agnew, Bliss, Barnes, Woodward,
Rey burn, Andrew II. Smith, Of Elberon,
and Acting Assistant Surgeon D. 8. Lamb,
of the Army Medical Museum, Washing
ton. The operation was performed by DR..
Lamb. 1t was found that the ball, after
fracturing the right eleventh rib, had
passed through the spinal column, in front
of the spinal canal, fracturing the body Of
the FIRST lumbar yetebra, drying number
of small fragments of bones into the ada
cent soft parts, and lodging below the pam
ereas, about two inches and halt 10 the
left OF the spine aud behind the peritcneum
where it had become completely encysted.
The immediate cause of death was secon-
Diary hemorrhage from one n the mesen-
teric arteries adjoining the track of the
ball, the blood rupturing the peritoneum,
and nearly pint escaping into the abdo-
miuHl cavity. This henorrhage is believed
t. have been the cause of the tevere pain in
the lower part Of the chest complained of
just before death. An abscess cavity, six
inches by four in dimensions, was found in
the vicinity Of the z al bladder, between the
liver and the traverse colon, which were
strongly adherent. II did not involve the
substance Of the liver, and no cemmunica-
tion was found between it and the wound.
A long suppurating channel extended from
the external wound between the loin
muscles and the right kidney, almost to
the right grom. This channel, now known
10 be due to the burrowing of pus from the
wound, was supposed during life to have
been the track Of the ball. On an exami-
nation ofthe organs Of the chest evidences
OF severe bronchitis were found on both
sides, with broncho pneumonia Of the lower
portions of the right lung, aud, though to a
much less extent, of the left. The lungs
contained no assesses, and the heart no
clOts. The liver was enlarged and fatty,
but free from Assesses, nor were any found
in any other organ except the LEFT kidney,
which contained near its surface a small
atscess about one-third Of inch in diam
eter.
In reviewing the history Of the case in
connection with the autopsy, It is quite
evident tina. the different suppurating sur
faces, and especially the fractured spongy
tissue OF the vertebra, furnish a sufficient
explanation Of the seeptic condition which
existed.
D. W. Bliss,
J. X. BARNES,
J.K WOODWARD,
RoBERT REyBURS,
FRANK H. HAMILTON,
D. HAYES AaEEw,
ANDREW II. SAITH,
d. s. LAMB.