National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-04-28
PRESIDENT oARFIELp,s PHYSICIAN.
A Reply by DIR. BIiss TO the Card or DIR.
Boynton.

by telegraph to the New York Tribune.
correspondent of the Tribune called upon DR..
Bliss this evening and inquired If he wished to
make any public statement in regard to the GER
ti6cate of DR.. Boynton published in the Tribune
this morning DR.. Bliss was at first somewhat dis
inclined to say anything for publication, although
he talked freely and with tone and manner OF
deep indignation regarding what he declared
were persistent Misrepresentation. Afler n few
moments passed In this way, DIR. Bliss authorized
the publication Of the following statement:
"While deprccae quarreling over the remains
of the lamcnted Garfield on the incidents con-
nected with his painful illness, state unequivo-
caly that the representations In that certificate
are false and the facts connected with the history
of the prove them so. In pre- enting the mat
ter of his attendance and counsel Mrs. Garfield
being present-this was on the morning of the Sd
of July-his reply was; shall leave that entirely
to you, Doctor. Your judgment Is better than mine
upon that subject.
THEN DESIGNATED
the three gentlemen, residents OF Washington,
who were associated with me in this case-the
Surgeon. General, Dr. Woodward, and DR.. Rey-
burn-giYing in each instance my reason for Sc
lecting these persons, To this he replied: That
entirely S STATED nadco 70 hin a. tan
who had volunteered their assistance in the
emergency, had been In consultation on several
valuable advice to the conduct of the case. His
reply was: THAT won't do, Doctor; such body
medical Men is nnwisGyi THAI That is ., as near a as
| lhem.' l then said: Then, Mr.. President will
| thank them in your name for the assistance they
have given aud tell them their services are no
| longer required
HE SAID: DO so'
turned to Mrs. Garfield, who was sitting imme.
dately ut my right, and said; Mrs. Garfield, II
whom yon wish to associate with lis in the care Of
this case shall be glad to invite them Her re-
ply was; will not add one 70 the number al
| gn1an /
| that you shnll not be embarrassed IN
any way in your future conduct Of this case.
| iiaxter had ever known the President personally,
much less attended him professionally; and If he
the family of Is e Sy
| their fault in not mentioning his name ON that
occasion ! want to state further that neither the
Pr resident, Mrs. Garfield, nor any member of the
| household aforementioned
THE NAME OF DIR. BAxrER
or any other physician TO me, except the counsel
| who were associated with me in the case as de-
| siriug their advice or attendance; aud on the
occasion of the removal to Elberon, Mrs.. Garfield
called mo to her private room aud informed me
that the President desired to reduce the
Wished mo % so inform Dr. Barnes, Dr
Woodward, and DR.. Reyburn: and that should
continue in charge OF the case, and should con-
tinue as counsel Drs Agnew and Hamilton, who
would be near me while at Elberon, then said
that placed Inc in very embarrassing position,
and added greater responsibility than was will.
ing to assume In his transfer, and begged that all
the physicians should be retained at least until
| his arrival ut Elberon.
ALSO PRESENTED THESE FACTS
TO DR.. Aguew and begged him to intercede with
Mrs Garfield to secure the consent Of the President
| TO their retention. To this Mrs. Garfield and the
| President nssented, The day following our ar
| rival nj Eberon Mrs Garfield again called my at
| tention TO the expressed wishes OF the President
in regard to this subject, when begged of her tC
| present the matter TO the retiring physicians
which she consented to do and did. These fact
have been presented 10 the public before, and ar,
| only reiterated now because of the persistence o
| DR. Baxter in dragging TO the surface distorted In
cidents In the history Of the late terrible ordea
through which We have passed, and which are a
offensive toa discriminating public as to myself