New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-20
HISTORY OF THE CASE.


DEArH-HIs NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or THE
\ oPERATIoNs-TIIE REMOVAL TO LONG BRANCH
THE LAST DAYS AND THE END.
President Garfield was shot by Charles j. Guiteau
\ at about twenty minutes past the morning
of Saturday July 2. in the Baltimore and Potomac
Railway station, few minutes before he was to
I take the train from Washington to New-York on
his way for trip through New-England The
rumor immc liatey became current and tele-
graphed to this city that he dead. This be-
lieved for the moment and produced the widest
citemcnt here and elsewhere. 1t was soon contra
dicted, however.
At Washington all was confusion aud alarm. The
wounded man taken to room in the station
where he vomitcd, Drs. Bliss Reyburn and several
other physicians were hastily summoned, and q
preliminary examination Of the wound made.
1t was found that the ball. which of Al calibre,
fred from pistol of the British bulldog" pat
tern, had penetrated the back about four inches to
| the right of the spinal column, and subsequently
it learned that it had fractured the eleventh
rib It's course was downward and forward. In
\ few minutes the President removed to
the White House in ambulance, and at
1880 a. m. it was officially announced that he
had returned to his normal condition and that his
palse was G3. Ia the afternoon tho reaction took
place, and the patients pulse at p. IN. stood at
\ 140, He reported to be bleeding internally,
aud it not deemed best to probe the waun for
the ball On the arrival of Mrs. Garfield from Long
Branch. early in the evening. the President became
easier and his pulse fell to ID 1t this time
supposed that the right lobe of the liver had been
penetrated, and it thought that the bali was
& embedded either IN this organ or in the anterior
3 wall of the abdomen. Nausea and vomiting had
occurred during the day. la the course
!; of the night the sick man complained
s of pains in his feet. indicating that main
u nerve in his back had been affected by the ball.
4 Few people expected him to live. Sunday
day of alternating hopes and fears In the morning
Il he seemed brighter, but IN the evening his pulse
4 rose TO 100. Peritoneal Inflammation feared
s. The 1890 p. m. bulletin signed 10y Surgeon
General Barnes and DIR. J. j. Wood ward in addition
X to Drs Bliss and Royburn. Monday morning Dr.
q ID. Hayes Agnew. of Philadelphia and DR.. Frank H.
u Hamilton, OF New-Iork. arrived in Washing
u ton. having been summoned at the request of Mrs
Gartie] ani approved Of the winch had been
/ taken by the attending physicians. In the morning
bulletin the tympanites swelling of the abdomen
was referred to not having increased The Pres
8 i,ent vomtcd slightly during the day. DIR. Agnew
Ut reported, stated that the kidneys and
Z stomach were unniur'l, but that the liver Ina /
Y been aceratel. Aitogri her il was dismal Fourth
\ Of July all Over the country.
DREAD GIVING PLACE TO HOPE.
Y On Tuesday more cheerful feeling prevailed.
g The President was able 10 retain food. and the
organs of The lower part OF the abdomen were found
might, aud the dispatches sent to Dls. Apnew aud
s Hamilton, who had returned home. were
encouraging. His pulse varied from l0O to
Slll. consultation of medical men was
held To consider the question OF reducing the tea
perltuie III the sick rOou. but nothing dehnite was
doao until several days later. We nesday July g.
a the encouraging symptoms continued For the
4 first time since tho d.,y las was shot the woulded
mans pulse fell TO below 100 it being ~ NJ $50
a. IN. aud the hrS crisis was though l. be passed
He passed comparatively comfortable day
Nalthough the weather very hot, aud asked Tor
substantial food. simple gcIicnt To reduce
the temperature OF the room by Che absorption and
u Evaporation of ice-Syatcr gave some relief The
& next day the patients face presented slightly
jaundiccd app 'arancr; the bullu ius were ecuurg
inc. On Friday his pulse and temperature were
higher than the day bcfpre a slight fever being
caused 10y the suppuratiou of the wouad H. the
Imorning bulletin It was announced that thr
wound had began to discharge healthy pus Tie
President took more nourishunent than usual. Sat
: urday, July .. the beginning Of the second week
WAS also hopeful day. The patient was in excel
lent spirits. and the bulletins Tcassurng. On
A Sunday July 10, the attending phy siclaIs tec-
4 graphed to Drs. Hamilton and Agucw that such
sght changes as had occurred were for the better.
4 Reference uade from time to time in these DIS
patches 10 ia" consulting surgeons of the hinc
aud qHnine that administered. The patient
pulse ranged from TO- to 1903. The discharge ui
pus continued to be favorable. On Monday rccov-
cry was pronounced probable, aud With the
ceItion ot the work up"n the relrigeratn4,
"A machines the day uueventiul. The
next few days showed what vls thought to he con
timed improvement. The fever was less marked.
nd the patI@nts appetite better. On Thurs
day, July (, PROBES Bell and Tautnr arrived
AWaahngt1n Tor the purpose of experimenting, in the
hope by the aid of electrical instruments of deter.
mining tho position Of the ball IN the President,
Mbody. On saturday, July 10, solid food was rel
ishoi. The patient seemed 10 be gaining strength
daily an" the bulletins were gratifying Trough mo-
nOtoGOus. There were said to be no indications OF
pyjca. In view OF his apparently steady progress
toward cOnYalcSccucc II was decided to issue ON s
q "a morning nd evening bulletin. Solid TODD wa
81 eaten with great rchsh sunday, and the Press
81 dent expressed desire to take "A ride down
u the river. HIS pulse during these days wa,
z generally below 100, and sometimes down to below
49, The following few days were uneveutlul. Th'
patient appeared 10 be Improving, his appetite wac
y good and tlc wound Was regarded as in "A healthy
condition. Occasionally his pulse would rise higher
y than usual, but this said to be due to som,
"A minor On Friday some fbros of cloth aud 4
a snail piece of bone discharged from the
3wound with The pus. aud the afternoon lever wa,
Z more marked than usual.
THE PATIENTS FIRST RELAPSE.
4 Saturday, July %. however three weeks after he
4 was shot, day Of anxiety. The previous night
The patient had been RESTLESS and AT a. IN he had
y a chill which followed by a fever AT 1880 a
n m. he had another chill, and at 1890 p. m his
y pulse was l20, temperature 10f, and respiration
26. The wound failed to discharge pus readily
Eand it was thought that pus cavity