Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-02
LOCATING THE BALL.
THE INDUCTION BALANCE AGAIN
APPLIED.
Satisfactory RevelatIOns-HistO of
the Instrument and Report of the
Experimental Quiet Day for the
PresIdent-HIs Appetite ImprOv-


the Instrument and Report of the
Experimental Quiet Day for the
PresIdent-HIs Appetite ImprOv-
ing.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, August l, IL P. NJ
The Presidents case to-day has presented
no features of especial importance which
have not already been noticed in the official
bulletins. His appetite has been rather bet
ter than yesterday. He has partaken more
freely of solid food, and his bill of fare has
been extended to embrace several things
hitherto forbidden, Including coffee, of which
he drank half a cup to-day for the first time.
They continue him koumiss occasionally in
place Of an equal quantity Of milk, and
although this mild tartar stimulant
has little to recommend it to the average
taste, the President expresses a decided
liking for it, and drinks it eagerly. The
Presidents wound discharged freely at the
evening dressing, and its appearance was
in every way satisfactory. The usual after
noon fever was light, and passed off earlier
than usual, and the President went to sleep,
and has been sleeping most of the time
since. His pulse is 100, and his temperature
and respiration are normal.
THE MORNING BULLETIN.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, S:3OA. M-IOficial
Bulletin The President slept well during
the night, and this morning is cheerful and
expresses himself as feeling better than at
any time since he was shot. After the slight
Iise of yesterday afternoon his temperature
became again normal early in the evening,
and 50 continues. He appears stronger, and
has evidently made good progress on the
road towards recovery during the last few
days His pulse is now 94 temperature
9S 10, respiration IS.
THE NOON BULLETIN.
1870 P. NJ TOficial Bulletin THE
Presidents wound continues to do well. At
the morning dressing it was found to be In
all respects in a satisfactory condition. AT
ter the dressing was concluded his head ard
shoulders were raised in the same manner
as yesterday, and he took solid food for
breakfast with more relish than he has hith-
ertO. At present his pulse is 100, tempera-
ture 9S.4, respiration 10.
THE AFTERNOON BULLETIN.
Z p. NJ. TOmcial Bulletin The Presi-
dent remained with his head and shoulders
elevated until the time for dressing his
wound this afternoon. IL continues to pro-
eresS in a satisfactory manner, and dis
charges healthy pus freely, from the deeper
as well rs the superficial portions. He has
taken his nou'ishment well and in sufficient
quantity, and in all respects cOntinues to do
well. The rise of temperature this after
noon is slight At present his pulse is 1O4,
temperature 80 5, respiration 20.
THE BALL LOCATED.
HAS A. NJ. Unofficial Bulletin The
President is passing a quiet, comfortable
day under the supervision of the attend
ing surgeons. Professors Bell and Tainter
this morning made another application to
the PATIENTS body Of the electrical appa-
rafus, known as the induction balance, with
a v ew to completing the tests Of last week,
which were not entirely conclu-
sive, and ascertainiug defaitely and GER
tainlY if possible the location of the ball
Professors Bell and Tainter have been al
most constantly engaged fer weeks in ex-
periments with The induction balance, ard
have made several notifications and in
prOvements, which greatly add to its effici.
ency. They tried this improved apparatus
upon tie Presidents body for the first me
last Saturday, and, although it indicated
family the location of the ball, it was
afterward found to be slightly
out Of adjustment, and the experiment
was net regarded as perfectly conclusive.
The results of this mornipg's tests how
ever, are entirely satisfactory both to Pre-
fessCrs Bell aud fainter, and to the attend
ing surgeons, and it is now unanimously
agreed that the location of the ball has been
ascertained with reasonable eXactncsS and
certainty, and that Il lies, as heretofore
stated in these dispatches, 10 the front wall
of the abdomen, Immediately over the groin,
about five inches below and to the right of
the navel.
The experiments this morning were re-
peated several times, and were made by
Professors Bell and Taiuter independently,
so as to guard as far as possible against
errors arising from the faulty perception of
a single individual or from one PERSONS
mistaken judgment as 10 the comparative
intensity of the sounds In every
instance, however, when the small
coils attached to the machine were
placed in such a position on the patients
body as to indicate the lOcatiou Of the black
and blue spot, which appeared on the lower
right side of the abdomen soon after the
President was shot, the listener at the tele
phone said that he detected evidences of
disturbance. 1t made no difference whether
the eXperimenter could see the coils or not.
Whenever they were placed In that particu-
lar position he became instantly aware of
the fact and announced it. The experiments
were varied and continued until all
were convinced that the bullet had been
found or at least located in
straight line running through the body from
front to back, just above the groin on the
right side. 1t was not possible to ascertain
with any degree Of certainty the depth at
which the ball lies imhedded on this imagi-
nary line, but, as the front wall of the alb
domen at this point is about two and half
inches in thickness, the ball must be within
that distance OF the surface. These results
fully confirm the original diagnosis of the
case made by the attending surgeons soon
after the President received his Injury, and
that fact is as gratifying TO them as the
complete success of the induc
tion balance is to Professors Bell
instance in, which an imbedded bullet has
been accurately and definitely located with
out probing and by purely scientific meth
DDS. There is 10 intention on the part of
the surgeons to perform an operation for
the removal Of the ball at present. So long
as it gives no trouble it will be allowed to
remain In its present position. The cues
tion of the disposition to be finally made of
it will be considered when the President
shall have recovered his strength and shall
be out of danger.
THE INDUCTION BALANCE.
The induction balance used by Professors
Bell and Tainter in the experiments made
this morning for the purpose of ascertain
ing the location of the ball in the Presi-
dents body, differs very materially from
the apparatus with which they began ex-
perimeuts some weeks ago. Important
modification and changes have been made
in the shape, size and arrangement of the |
induction coils. The small clock, which |
was q part of the original apparatus,
has been dispensed with and a condenser
has been introduced into the primary cir
cult. The result of these modification |
and Improvements is an apparatus which, !
although not essentially new in principle, is |
more sensitive to small masses of metal at |
a distance and better adapted to the re
quirements of military surgery than any |
thing of the kind hitherto devised. The |
apparatus, in its present improved form, |
consists of two fiat coils, about four inches |
in diameter and one-half irch in thickness, |
of insulated copper wire, battery, con
denser, an interrupter or circuit breaker, |
and telephone. The ends of the primary |
or inducing coil are connected with |
the poles Of the battery, aud in the |
same circuit are the condenser and |
a small interrupter, whose vibrating |
tongue opens and closes the circuit with |
great rapidity. The ends OF the sounding
coil, in which the current is to be inducted |
are carried to the binding posts of the Bell
telephone. When the connections have all
thus been made, the secondary coil is laid
on the primary or inducting COIL so that their
respective circumfereuces exactly coincide