New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-03
PRESIDENT GARFIELD'S CASE
DIR. D. W. BLISS WHY'S or IT.

DR.. ID. w. BLISS VIEWS or IT.
PREPARING AN ELABORATE REPORT TREATMENT
OF THE WoUND-pEATH CERTAIN UNDER ALL
CIRCUMSTANCES PROFESSIONAL COURTESY.
Dr. ID. ". Bliss continues mremittiDgly a5
work upon his report concerning General Garnelrs
death Il The Medical Record He is staying at DR..
George f. shradys in order TO have the use Of the Doc
tors library and at the time TO be free from inter
rupons He was engaged on his work all night Thurs
day, and most Of Friday night
Ifeel it my duty said TRIBUNE reporter in few
of leisure Friday TO push the work as rapidly
possible, the profession is anxious to hear the i
details the case and IL entitled them at the earliest
possible moment The report will be for the profession
yet the public win be able to understand it, they have
lately been well educated in all the technical phrases
and terms OF the shaH take up theories, and
shall pay no attention any criticisms that have been
made have had time, for that matter, to read tho
criticisms to any extent shall simply make lucid,
straightforward statement Of the history OF the
1 shall not 90 into detail fully as viii be
lone in report Is called for by Congress
and presented by expect to show clearly that tae
wound was fatal and that the Of treatment io
lowed wholly prOperal THAI could be done unlcr
the circumstances said before When the drawings,
which have been carefully and deliberately prepared,
seen, the public will have much better idea OF the
nature of the wound When they the kind Of injury
done TO the lumbar yertebra, those who have insisted
hat it was not serious will be led to form different
vertebra with very small injury. They will see their
mistake"
OF the treatment Of the wound and the
statement that the real track OF the ball should
have been treated antisepticay, Dr. Bliss said Tho
entire wound treated anseptically for that matter
The trouble is am situated somewhat az Yould DO
were this UNCONVENTIONAL affair in wdieh all denOmna-
tons 30 DE satisfied There is the antiseptc-by-
spray class the antseptc class BY shutting up the
wound the antanseptic the heroic and the conserya-
tive in short all the classes Of people who have any
views all upon the Now reply to the surgeon
who kindly through the daily press advised the ex-
traction Of the ball, will state that had the ball been
removed promptly the fatal injuries before existing
would have remained and death must necessarily have
followed"
Speaking further OF the unanimty Of opinion among
the surgeons throughout the entire treatment ofthe
case DR.. Bliss said "As You know, we first supposed
the tal passed direct line corresponding with tho
external wound in the soft parts II 1t would have
trayersed the liver. This the first opinion held
after the examination, and it one in which all the
surgeons present concurred Subsequent developments
LED adopt n different view, with which you must Do
familiar 1t not the first important case of mistaken
diagnosis history of surgery is fun of sitiar err
rors made by men at the head Of the profession who
were not ashamed to place the upon record although
must say the were not so extensively ad'eTse',
this mas been 10 the lay public For inysei, hai
settled that surgical treatment; was absolutely perec
until read the criticisms Of some New-York snrSeons
gentlemen have themselves occasions made mis-
takes II might be possibly considered to be lltte n
professional for come out and. by their criticisms
the public wild In the darkest hours o case "nen
night and day to the welfare of the patient stil can
pass that by. l will confess | have passed tarousa
the criticisms uDruffed As the wound oar TI'
and. suppose, / might as well be that one
the profession when the details OF the case are PUB
lished. | have no fears but that shall receive
pa Pate6 }Tst'f T W give give them al the history y
I he soon as possibly can ask no iaNors
this matter Would not have my yd eR D on M,
report which would he undny favorable The history ~
the will speak for itself All have to do Is to give
Dr. Bliss merely styled as absurd" recent sugges-
that bad the track taken by the Dal been proIry
have eueysted, and the wound thus allowed 10
heal He said the ba could nave neeh traced no @
cause the broken rib prevented any eXporat ion beyond
IT. Exuiainng why no reliance was placed upon Pro-
fessOr Bells test for discovering the ball, he said
"The instrument was an imperfect one. When 1t was
tipped over as it had to be in using H. t She
turbed. When this occurred, faint sound
would be heard through the telephone. faint sound
the lilac REGION Professor Bell unable to verify
In consequence he said no reliance could be placed
the instrument and therefore made his written state
OF the report that The case had already been diagnosed
by hun when Drs. Aguew and Hamilton arrived, ana
they only consulting surgeons IN the case they
forbOre suggesting any different treatment Dr. biss
THAT Is about the outrageous statement that bas
a. go 'h ~ -Was IL nor their nr1frssioual
duty 70 express Their opinions ~, iniiy ana lrTsy
thouylI there should bo suchi Assuredy IL was.
The truth simply that have been in perfect accord
AS said before believe the Presidents life was pro-
luugcd many days by the treatment pursued, ana l
think the country was benefited thereby; Had he ded
after tie shooting the shock OF his death "o'd
have resulted Ia great injury to the country, especially
financially. As il was, the country was fully prepared
his death and had also had opportunity 10 earn
W KIND U he WAS"