Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-07-08
THE PRESIDENTS WOUND.
What tho Most Eminent Authority In
America Has Said Of 1t.

WASHINGTON, July 4.-Surgeon General
Barnes who is in close attendance on the
President, says: From my experience in
war, 1 have abundant proof that injuries
to the liver, either by stab or gunshot, are
not necessarily fatal, although dangerous.
Authors who generally forbid the explora-
rion Of wounds of the abdomen sanction an
extraordinary latitude in incisions for the
purpose of removing foreign bodies from
the liver. 1t is practiced extensively, by
French and German physicians, il having
been recommended by Lcdrau and Messbaur,
who ure sustained by Percy. / remember
that about sixty-two cases of recovery from
shot wounds OF the liver during the war
came under my observation, and about one
hall of these were further complicated by
LESSONS OF other organs
At Hatcher's Run, n hoy nineteen years
of age, was shot III the bnck, the hall pass
sing through the liver and emerging from
the abdomen. He recovered in less than n
month was 30 iniercst,d in the case
that looked over the pension list to nee il
lie had applied for pension, but his name
was not on the list. so ii may be presumed
that lie fully recovered. Another case
which it was thought important enough TO
be reported in the current medical iourn-
mails was that of Private Gilbert Smith.
There, beyond doubt, the lesion was most
severe, yet when Smith presented himself
to the Pension Examiner here few years
ago he was reported in good health. An
other Smith, a corporal, wounded at Fred
ericksburg, furnishes an additional un-
doubted instance of recovery from wound
in the liver. Recoveries from wounds in
the liver cannot, however, be looked for
ward to with certainty, yet, besides the
cases which came under my observation
during the war, know OF Others. In July
| 1868, a policeman was shot through the
| liver, but four months Of careful treatment
pulled him through. In two cases which
occurred at the battle OF Suffolk, IN 1868,
the ball lodged in the liver and was ex-
lracted and the patient subsequently recov
cred. There are also several cases in which
the ball lodged IN the liver and has re-
mained there. These cases are interesting
in case it should be found impossible to
extract the ball from President Garfield's
wound. One of The wounded men was al
80 from Ohio. In his cnse the ball entered
several inch's above, and slightly TO the
right OF the navel. Among other striking
cases of the ball remaining lodged in the
liver was that of Sergeant Snively, of the
New York Cavalry, who was wounded at
Piedmont, Virginia, 1868. The ball lodged
in the right lobe of the liver. True, it took
year OF treatment before he could be dis
charged from the hospitnl, but his recovery
was quite complete. Another soldier was
shot in the liver, the ball passing through
the liver and remaining in the tissues. 1t
was from large revolver, about the same
size as that used by Guiteau. There was
no suppuration, vomiting, diarrhea or
fever, and the man recovered. A soldier
twenty-one years old was wounded at Chan
celorsville, both in the lung and liver, but
he recovered and Is as well MS ever.
Another curious recovery from what is
perhaps more difficult TO treat than shot
wound in the liver, was the lodging in the
liver OF large bone sPlint, which was
shattered by a bullet, in the case of John
Queen, oil Pennsylvania. Not only the
right lobe OF the liver, but large bunch of
the lepotic duct was perforated. All these
cases were from certain point OF view
more hopeless than President Garfeld's,
They occurred on the battlefield, where
they could not receive immediate attention,
whereas physicians were on the spot in
few moments after the President was in
jured. Moreover, the attendance here can
be more regular, and the appliances are
nearer at hand than they were in such cas-
es, and every change in his condition can
be noticed at once. Then, too, President
Garfield was in excellent health, and his
constitution was magnificent. He is strug-
Cling calamity, and will continue to fight
manfully for his life. We treat him inter.
nally with milk and lime water, and also
give him hypodermic injections OF NOR.
phine to allay nervousness. To the wound
we apply n cold compress to prevent in
flnmmation from setting in. Ii is 100 early
yet to say whether we shall attempt to ex-
tract the ball. AT any rate it would be
dangerous to attempt now. l cannot be
sanguine to his recovery, and yet we are
justified in hoping for 1t.
Dr. Bliss remains at the White House al
most constantly. He only leaves the Pres
ident's bedside when lie is relieved by DR..
Reyburn. His experience and that OF other
physicians with wounds of this character
had been similar 10 the Surgeon Generals.
Dr. Reyburn, who had charge OF the hos
pital here during the war, had cnse where
a man was shot IN the liver, and the pa
tient recovered. There is a gentleman EN-
ployed in the Pension Bureau here who,
during the rebellion, was wounded almost
precisely like the President, and his recov-
cry was pronounced impossible. but he got
well, and the bullet was not taken out un-
Ill he had nearly recovered