The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-02
THE CAUSE OF DEATH.
final decision

expressed by medical aud scientific men that
there was no autopsy held in the case of Mr..
Hendricks. Here is a man holding the second
place in the gift of the first Nation Of the
earth struck down by death, and as to the
cause of that death there is nothing to be
| announced to the world except the guesses of
| an ordinary but reputable practitioner Of
medicine, who did not look upon his case as
in any sense dangerous, and who was treating
| him for apparently trivial ailments. No one
| was more surprised at this sudden death than
the family doctor, and his statements throw
| no light upon the case whatever, except that
| there were few simple and not infrequent
| symptoms of disorder in Mr.. Hendricks
cas- e, which were met intelligently with ap-
propriate remedies. A little mustard and soda
to stimulate and correct disordered stomach;
a dry cup as a method of de-
pletion, at the distinguished patients
own suggestion; a simple enema of oil and
treacle, to relieve intestinal turgidity and full
ness; bromides, the safest sedative, to produce
rest and sleep, sum up the medical treatment
as detailed by his physician, who had no doubt
he would be out the next day, and in Wash
ington by this time. This is all the medical
and therapeutcal history we have of the days
| illness preceding Mr.. Hendricks sudden death.
But there is history back of all this-a ru-
NOR of slight paralytic stroke when at Hot
Springs, few months since; history of
fall on the back of the head, with conclusion
of the brain, ten years ago; also, the expressed
opinion of Drs. Parvin and Yandell that Mr..
Hendricks was the victim of an attack Of
was laughed off by some and opposed by oth-
ers. The trouble with the toe was said by one
to be only boil, and boils were the heritage
Of the family Others of the half dozen
physicians who saw the case said it was not a
true senile gangrene but plain case Of deep
seated erysipelas, which had destroyed the toe,
and was only local and easily limited disor-
der, due to pressure of the boot, and not dan
gerous or characteristic Of any grave consti-
nation, whether erysipelatous or not,
we'll and good; strength of body and
mind and ripe old age are posi-
BILE with all the possibilities of high political
preferment. But if capillary stagnation,
indicating fatty, feeble heart, not able to
propel the blood with vigor into the remote
vessels of the extremities was the real cause
of the disease of the toe the sloughing off of
the first joint Of that member was signal
of the gravest import. 1t was an
| announcement to the eminent counsel en-
ployed in the case that the conservative force
in the frontiers and outposts of the bodily
citadel had been overmastered, the food sup
ply cut off, and a part left to perish. This
gangrene Of the toe meant, to Drs. Parvin and
Yandell, possible Qualification of the arteries,
a loss of their elasticity, a roughening of them
which would at last interfere with
the smooth and regular flow of the
blood, induce the formation of clots which,
in time, would become detached and suddenly
be swept along with the blood and obstruct
the ways of life. 1t is quite probable that the
physicians were right, in spite of Mr.. Hen
| dricks's vigorous protest, and that his case is
only another proof of the statement common
among medical men, that man is no older
L
Mr.. Hendricks was apprehensive, and has for
several years felt that there were great odds
against him. Had his name come to the
first instead of the second place, his phys
ical condition would have been matter of
still greater moment. And it is not at all
improbable that the prognosis given by his
physicians of probable early and sudden death
may have been an element working against
his high political ambition-to be- if not the
first, the second President of the party he
always served with such steadfast devotion
1t is quite possible that Mr. Hendricks died
from hemmorrhage of the brain, as Dr.
Fletcher suggested. He may have died of
paralysis of the heart, as was also suggested.
The latter is regarded the more likely from
his position when found as evidently not a
muscle bad moved. Certain poisons also
produce almost immediate death, although all
the moral surroundings refute such mere
speculation. Certainly an autopsy would
have revealed whether the death was at the
brain or at the heart, and under any ordinary
| conditions a coronial investigation would have
been made.
The interests of science and the defense of
| his physicians certainly were reasons enough