The sun., 1881-10-02
THE GARFIELD AUTOPSY.
oryrCIAL RECORD As PREPARED NJ
THE SURGEONS IN CHARGE

4 oryrCIAL RECORD As PREPARED NJ
THE SURGEONS IN CHARGE
r,s xuter~ai Morb,d Appearances cf the
n.Sv Rscorded-A seertainiss the Position
.s the Ballet t-Obssrvasiens On the fatho.
| ,..,ea, speeinens that Were Preserved.
pu11ApEIpnIA, Oct. 1.-The October num-
| ~, a, tho american journal Of the Medical Sci
s,o.s contains the following official report Of
~. .utonsy OF President Garfield. prepared BY
Ns surgeons In charGe:
.d n u. r~,-~or.~r cprmtnaHnr Of n. bo,y Of
A,,y A. ea,ssf mads Sept 20, 1884, commencing t4k
~ rshtees hrs aftu dsnA. al FSanekrn oftase. 81.
k~uA M!
prsssnt and sssistinr-Dr. d. ". Bliss. Bur-
-.,r. .0sneraI J. K. Barnes. o. 3. A; SurgeonJ j.
woodward. U. 8. A.; Dr. Robert Rey-
hurn. Dr. Frank H. Hamilton. DR.. D. Hayes
A,nev. DR.. Andrew II. Smith OF Elberou land
Nav York; and Acting Assistant Surgeon d. y.
lamb OF the Army Medical Museum. Washing
Ion. DO.
Before commencing the examination. a con-
gultstion was held By these physicians in room
adjoining that in which the body lay. and It was
unanimously agreed that the dissection should
b made By DR.. Lamb. and that Surgeon Wood
ward should record the observations made. Itwas
further unanimously agreed that the Uranium
should not be opened. Surgeon Woodward then
proposed that the examination should be con-
Quoted 40 follows: That the body should be
viewed externally. and any morbid appearances
existing recorded: that cathetor should then
b passed into the wound. - was done
during life to wash It out. for tho
purpose Of assisting to ind the posi-
ton OF the bullet; that . long incision
should next be made from the superior ex-
tremity OF the sternum to the pubs. and this
crossed By . transverse one just below the
umbilicus; that the abdominal flaps thus made
should then DO turned back and the abdominal
viscera examined: that after the abdominal
cavity. Was opened the po:ition os tho bullet ouls:
the thoracic yiecera should b. examined. This
order OF procedure wac unanimously agreed to-
The examination was then proceedsd with.
and tho followine. external appearances were
sted, but the. face Was much less wasted than
tho lwbe, A preservstivs fluid had been in
s n: rs pDe
surface OF the body presented no abnormal ap.
front OF the. abdomen. Just below the right
cersted opening. about half an inch in diame-
ter from which some sancons pus was cscap-
rsson o
purpura. Ike spots were scattered thickly over
the left scaUuls. and thence forward as Tar as
ons-iourt6 Of an inch in diameter. we're slightly
elevated and iurfuraceous on the the sHrfae. u; CA and
n %'ns svS S % them four M'fs Or %ag
but much les. abundant eruption was
:S:sGss esFsS' .sscs o. Ss rss :
eIoavated ulcer about an inch long, tho result
Of sm.li oarouncs was , ssatsi ate, over .ht. the
sores. the largest about half An inch in diane
regular spots Of s!-mortem hyposatio con
Gecuon were scattered over tho shoulders. back.
wss ~ much di:colored By hyposia.ic congestion.
A Rroup OF hemorrhoida tumors rather larger
made b,
intsrcostsl .pacs, three and = hail inehe: TO tho
:ssndsd 81 .Ss.
BSfaaG Of sSs rsss fs 1H
posteriorly about two inches from fne vsrtebral
Slss aos.: sas
incision there was deep. nearly square.
.b,sdsd spt.cs about an inch across
= had Deen done to wash il out during life.
had usually been the case, but after several
trials the cath entered without any violence.
:na Il. bos9 @ :spnay f Tor ths
nation Of the visoera. The Uranium was not
opened. A long incision was made from tho
followed By transverse inoision crossing the
abdomen Just below the umbilicus. The four
aodomina ado ina '%sa vsssra " exposed. fl. sSbeu.
t.ascus adipose '. tissue }, divided the
sss sssi more
thicker over the abdomen. being about quarter
of an inch thick along the linsa alba. and
1smity Of the transverse incision. On inspeo-
ton Of tho abdominal vscera in situ. the trans
line OF the umbllicus. i WAS firmly adherent
to the anterior edge OF the liver The greater
sns hs to the
ssry much bIasEsnsd b. vSIous ;, cor con:
garle.ss Opposite the eleventh and twelfth rits.
Dr. In the as oa
note here says: These adhesions. and the
firm ones on the right side. as well a. those o,
chronic dyssntery. from which the patient is
said to have suffered during the civil war; On
sions. and a number OF more delicate and prob
4 mass of black. coaeulnted blood covered
and concealed the spleen and the left margin OF
tpn il was found tina! this blood mas. extended
dipped down into the pelyis. in which there
was some clottsd blood and rather more than
pint OF bloody fluid. IA foot note here says: "A
large part Of this fluid had probably tran nsuded
from the Injecting material OF the em6altner.
Inc blood coagula. having pesn turned out ana
collected. measured very nearly pint. II was
now evident that secondary hemorrhage had
been the Immediate cause OF death. but the
point from which tho blood had escaped WAS
not at once apparent. The amentum WAS not
adherent 10 the inteStines. wnIc. were mode
rately disiended with gas. No intestinal adhe-
sons were found other than those between the
toned
The abdominal cavity being now washed out
as thoroughly as possible. a fruitless attempt
was nude 10 obtain some indication OF the
position OF tho bullet beto;e making any fur
ther incision. By pushing the intestines aside
the extremity OF the caIheter. which had been
passed into the wound could be felt between
the peri.oneum and the right lilac fascia, but i
nad evidently doubled uIon itself. and although
eprolon9ed search WAS made nothing coulu DO
seen or felt to indicate the presence OF the bull
eLether in that region or elsewhere.
The abdominal viscera were then carefully re- |
moved from the body. placed in suitable ves- |
YES. and examined seriaIim with the following
taslt: The adhss.ons between the liver and |
tneIansverse colon proved To bound an abscess |
ca'liy between the unisr surface OF the liver. !
Ins transverse colon. and tho transverse meso |
eo!oG which involved the gall bladder. and eI- 4
shled 70 about tile same distance on each side |
OF IT, measuring SIX inches fransyeTsely and |
lour inches from before backward. This cavity /
was lined by thick pvogenic membrane. which |
nm