Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-08-14
The Doctors Wommd Worse Than the IS
sassin's.

The Doctors Wommd Worse Than the is
sassis's.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13.-The doctors to-
day explain away the uneasy night which the
President passed last night by saying the
wound was not thoroughly cleansed. DR..
Bliss has personally performed this part of
the work, but owing to poisoning his hand he
had last light to intrust it to DR.. Woodward,
who unskillfully failed to make thorough
cleansing. Hence the unfavorable symptoms.
Notwithstanding the high fever of the bulle-
tins the doctors express themselves sanguine
that the President is improving and they
are plainly sincere in their utterances. The
theory seems to be that the wound from
Guiteau's revolver is healing finely from the
bottom, and everything in connection with
that wound is getting on well. That the ball
is encysted, or well on the way to 1t, seems
evident from the fact that there is no pain or
irritation in the locality where the ball is sup
posed to be located. If this were the only
trouble the temperature and pulse ought to
subside, but there is the wound inflicted by
the surgeons on Monday last. That it was
necessary, and performed by surgeons, makes
It no less painful and annoying than if in
ficted by an assassin. 1t is this latter
wound which is more or less irritated.
at each dressing, and to which the excited
III.
a wound, in sound health, and to a man who
had not passed semi fast of over forty days,
would be considered serious. The condition
in which the President was makes it worse in
this case. Considerable importance is given
to the fact that the pulse, which usually rises
from eight to ten degrees during the day, is at
the same point it was when the morning bull
letin was issued, although the day has been
hot, the thermometer at the signal office
marking 10l degrees. His fever has subslded
since the wound was dressed this evening. A
quiet and reduced pulse is confidentaIy an
Mcipated DIR. Agnew arrived at 1890. in
compliance to wish of Mrs. Garfield that
one of the two consulting physicians be pres
ent until the President is out of danger The
report of his coming, coupled with the fever
to-day, caused some apprehension, which is
believed to be groundess.
MAKING THE BEST OF 1T.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13.-The announce
ment of the bulletin this morning that the
President had fever gave rise to another gen
erai feeling of uneasness throughout the city
1t was evident, however, that this feeling was
not shared by the surgeons of the President.
DR.. Bliss, who is up again and went to the
White house this morning, said there was no
cause for alarm in the Presidents condition.
He said that he would again repeat that the
doctors had not counted on the Presidents
getting well right along without any more
unfavorable change; that the case would
fuctuate, and the fever this morning was
one of those things which might be ex-
pected until the President gets on his
feet. The surgeons say the fever
of this morning and the restlessness last night
were caused by retained pus that they had
taken out by drainage to let the walls of the
wound collapse and heal, that in washing the
wound last night some little cavity was not
thoroughly washed, and the retention of that
small amount of pus caused the rise of temper
ature. They say that the presence of thin
bleful of pus in the wound will cause fever
DR.. Bliss said the wound was thoroughly
cieansed this morning and the fever at once
subsided, that there was no cause for alarm
land the President woult certainly be better
tomorrow. Dr.. Agnew vas teiegraphed for,
but the Presidents surgeons say It was not
because he is specially wanted They say
they telegraphed to know when it would be
convenient for him TO come, as DR.. Hamilton
wants to go away and wants DR.. Agnew to
relieve him.
RETROSPECTIVE.
On Sunday morning, July 8, the day after
the President was shot, his pulse was 1874,
temperature normal, respiration Is; on Mon
day, July 4, the second day, his pulse was 1os,
temperature 99 T. respiration 10; on Tuesday
his pulse was la, temperature 1905, respra-
tion "a. On Sunday his pulse was ia, tenn
perature 100 6, respiration "a. On Sunday
morning, the 10th, his pulse was 1O6. tempera-
ture lC0. respiration 90. From the latter date
to Wednesday, August 10, his pulse and tenn
perature given in the morning after dressing
the wound had not exceeded 1OO.-the figures
on the 10th being: Pulse 1O4, temperature
9S.5, respiration 49, The patients pulse, as
shown by this mornings bulletin, is 104 II
has therefore only been exceeded at the hour
of the mornings dressing on four different
occasions, July 4, 5, and 10. The tempera
ture, as shown in this mornings bulletin, has
been exceeded twice, according to the bulIe-
tins issued, since the shooting, the exceptions