The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-07-26
400 p M
Doctors Still Reticent.
Report that the Ball is to be Gut Out
The Operation To-Day.
The Midday Examination.


The midday examination has given no
cause for alarm. The fever has abated and
there has been no chill The physicians are
very rcticcnt.
Splinters of the Rib Removed.
DIR. Agnew was asked just before noon
how many splinters OF the rib were taken
from the wound this morning.
"a dozen or fifteen was the reply.
''You felt them with your fnger?"
Eyes, and pushed the shattered rib back
in its place."
"Do you consider the Presidents condi-
ton favOrable?" r ...N
nicely since the operation, and is doing
well. "
1t seems that the President fell asleep
very soon aftor the wound had been re-
dressed this morning. He slept easily and
at one time did not awake for half an hour.
He has taken considerable nourshment this
forenoon. BY noon his
Pulse was Below % Hundred,
and the temperature normal. DIR. Hamil-
ton has not been sent for, and it is not
known when he will return. DIR. Agnew
will conduct the rest of the examinations
to-day. Col. Rockwell stated at IL o'clock
that the President was doing as
Well as Could he Expected.
The midday examination was concluded
at / p. m. The physicians informed Private
Secretary Brown afterward that the Presi-
dent was doing well. They declined to give
any further particulars. DIR. Agncw said
there seemed to be little use to give
any information to the press, for
what was sent away did not seem to
get to its destination in safety.
The Operation Grave Affair.
A reporter of The CRITIC saw DIR. Boyn-
ton this afternoon and from him learned
that the President had been comparatively
comfortable since the operation of this
morning. DR.. Boynton speaks of the opera
ton rs very grave affair." and rs being of
n much more serious character than the
opening of the pus cavity. The doctor
states that three fragments of bone were
removed from the wound this morning. In
doing this the incision had to be enlarged
and
FOrccps Used.
One of the fragments extracted in this
way was an inch in length, the other two
pieces being much smaller. An instrument
called an elevator was then used by DIR.
Agnew in raising the injured rib and put
ting it in its proper place. DIR. BOynton
also states that the Presiden6
Bore the Operation Remarkably
| Well,
and that it did not materially increase his
pulse or temperature. 1t was also learned
that the original drainage tube connecting
with the mouth of the wound and the last
incisiOn has been removed and new and
longer one placed in the latter aperture.
| This is
A Straight Tube,
and has no connection with the irregular
channel of the wound, except at the point
where the pus cavity was discovered. The
irregular channel of the wound from this
point to the mouth will be intcrfered with
no more. 1t is now clear and will be al
| lowed to heal. All the discharges from the
wound will therefore have to come through
the lower aperture, which is the one made
ut the first operation.
Definite Information Hard to Get.
Reports from New York are to the effect
that the President is dying, that piece of
his rib an inch in length was sawn Off this
morning, and that he was gradually sink
ing from the operation. These reports were
repeated to DIR. Agnew and the other physi-
clans, and all have become very indignant.
They say that if they cannot be believed,
and If their statements are to be miscOn-
strued in such an extravagant manner, it
will be necessary for them to refuse to say
anything whatever about the case. DR..
Agnew and most of the other physicians
have already adopted that policy 1t is
now pretty difficult to get any definite in
formation from the sick room.