Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-09-20
THE PRESIDENTS PHYSICIANS
Doctors Who Have Been Connected With the
Case,
THE VARIOUS CHANGES AND THE REASONS FOR
THEN.


THE VARIOUS CHANGES AND THE REASONS FOR
THEM.
thirteen doctors have had to do with the
treatment of the Presidents caS since the
morning he was shQ1A They are Drs. Hamilton.
AgEew. Bliss Re yburn. Barnes. Woodward,
huntington, Norris, Purvis. Townshend. Lin
coin Patterson. Wales and Ford The first
physician who had charge of the case was DR..
smith Tovnshend. who administered, restofa-
tIyes; Dr. Puryis came next; and then DR.. Bliss,
followed 10y others Dr. Bliss took hold of the case
as soon as he got to The depot. and has since
then had special charge of it. The President
was removed to the White House, and con-
sultatiOn held IL the afternoon. Postmaster
General James 1avetO THE TARrepOrterthen the
names Of the consulting physicians. They We're:
Drs Bliss. c. NJ. Ford. ID. l.. Huntington. U. s.
A. J. j. Woodward U. S. A.: Smith TOwnshend
N S. Lincoln. Robert Reyburn. Surgeon Cen
erai Barnes. Basil Norris. Surgeon General
Wales. T. S. N: ID. c. Patterson and c. B. Pur-
Wis. There was trouble from the very first con-
suitation. Surgeon General Wales was present
at the examination and wanted to take charge.
Dr Bliss says before he knew what DR.. Wales
was about the latter thrust his finger into
the Presidents wound That caused some
trouble 1t was evident that there were
too many physicians. Mrs. Garfield and
the President both agreed that such was
the case. They gave DR.. Bliss charge
as he thought best The result was that on the
afternoon of the 4th DR.. Bliss wrote notes to all
OF the physicians, except Drs. Barnes, Wood
ward and Reyburn informing them, at
the request of the President, that his
symptoms being then so favorable, any further
consultation was deemed unnecessary. The
letter thanked the doctors most cordially for
their attention and Kind advice. About this
time DIR. Hammond. of New York. wrote to
Secretary Lincoln offering his services in at
tendance upon the President. They were not
accepted. The doctors who were retained were
selected by DR.. Bliss The President and Mrs.
Garfield both told him, Dr. Bliss says, to select
whom he chose. DR.. Barnes was taken
because of his great knowledge of gun-shot
wounds. DR.. Woodward. because of his emf
hence as pathOlOgist. and DR.. Reyburn, as
special assistant to DR.. Bliss. Besides the diff
iiculty and little scene with Surgeon General
Wales there was another of the same character
the very morning after the shooting. DR.. J. H.
Baxter, who had attended the President and
members of his family, claimed to be the Presi-
dents private medical adviser. He was out of
town at the time of the shooting. but came back
as soon as he heard of it. He went to the White
House the next morning and asked to see the
President. Dr. Bliss refused saying: II
know your sneaking ways. You want to
work yourself in to get charge OF the case"
There were some hot words. DR.. Bliss called
DR.. Baxter lobbyist and Dr. Baxter retorted
by calling DR.. Bliss liar. Dr. Bliss i'm a threat
ening manner advanced toward DR.. Baxter.
Ellis Bliss. the doctors son, took DR.. Baxter by
the shoulders and said he would put him out of
the house. There was interference which pre-
vented personal encounter DIR. Baxter left the
White House and did not afterwards return
there. There has been no further open disagree
ment among the doctors. Mrs DR.. Edison, who
had attended the Presidents children, was
employed as a nurse and remained in
that position until the President reached
Long Branch. Dr. Boynton has also been con-
nected with the case. He came to Washington
at the request of Mrs. Garfield. He has not
been officially connected with the case- but sunk
his professional pride and acted simply as
nurse. He was more frank than any of the at
tending physicians i'll giving information as to
the Presidents real condition. There was on
the morning OF the 4th of July further Access
sion to the corps Of medical attendants. Mrs.
Garfield became little anxious about the treat
ment of the President. She spoke of this to Dr.
Bliss. The latter requested that two of
the most eminent surgeons in the cOun-
try be brought in as consulting physicians
The result was that DR.. Hamilton
of New York. and DR.. Agnew. of Philadelphia.
were teegraphed for. They arrived on the night
of the Sc. but did not see the President it being
thought best that the patient who was then
asleep. should not be disturbed. The next
morning they were present at the examination
also issued an individual bulletin that they
approved in every particular of the course of
treatment which had been pursued. From
thence on Drs. Hamilton and Agnew We're the
consulting physicians When the President had
his first relapse neither of them were here Mrs.
Garfield had them both telegraphed for. At her
request. at no time since then were both Drs.
Agnew and Hamilton away from the President.
They took turns here and at their practice
in New York and Philadelphia respectively,
when there was a stretch of good days: but at
every crisis both were sent for. There was no
further change in the medical attendance until
the President was removed to Long Branch.
He thought there were too MANY physicians
and requested that only Drs. Bliss Hamilton
and Agnew attend him. He and Mrs. Garfield
wanted the others-Drs. Barnes. Woodward and
Reyburn-relieyed before the journey to Long
Branch was made. DR.. Bliss. however. wanted
the responsibility divided around. So they re-
manned on duty until Long Branch was reached.
and then retired from the case. not because of
any trouble or dissatisfaction as to their services.
but because the President did not want SO many
doctors around him.