Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-25
DIR. BLISS. CAREER.



DR.. Reyburn's Personal Recollectioul
Of the Distinguished Physician.
HIS srRvIcrs m rHH Waffle CASE or rxxsr.
DENT oAlyIELD - DuyIcuLrrrs WEIGH DIR.
BILss MET n TIE PERFORMANCE or Hu DuTY.
DR.. Robert Rsyburn, who was associated
with the. late DR.. Bliss In attendance upon
President Garfield IN his last illness, has writ.
ten the following for Tn eTAl:
at is nov Just quarter Of century since
hrst made The acquaintance Of DR.. D. ". Bliss.
Having been ordered (while surgeon in the
United States ssrvice) 10 duty in Washington,
in the early part Of the year 1854, I speedily
sought him out and We have been close friends
ever since. Dr.. Bliss was ct that time in charge
Of Armory Square hospital, Washington, D.
c., and continued in that capacity until the
close Of the war Of the rebellion. Armory
Square hospital was located on the square south
of the present Baltimore and Potomac depot,
and was designed more especially for the treat
ment OF the sick and wounded officers OF our
volunteer army. No man could have been bet
ter fitted for the position Of surgeon in charge
Of this hospital than DR.. Bliss Always suave
we're when he discovered any dereliction of
duty in any of the medical officers or employees
Of the hospital, an admirable executive officer,
and bold and successful surgeon. no medical
man who lived in this city ct that time need be
told Of the vas. number Of brilliant and sue
cessful surgical operations performed by him
while on duty in this hospital. It is sufficient
here to say that the records of the surgeon
generals Office Of the army show that DR.. Bliss
reported more surgical operations, and sent
more surgical and pathological specimens to
the army medical museum than any other sur
geon in our great civil war. How well re-
member the range Of low frame buildings,
filled with rows of cot beds, each containing
the bodies of the sick and wounded men who
had found there haven Of refuge. The wards
and nothing was denied that the knowledge Of
man could devise, or money purchase, that was
necessary for care and comfort Of the unhappy
sufferers from the
HORRORS OF War.
DR.. Bliss in dress was q man of most refined
taste, and his dress was always Of the most costly
kind, yet neat and simple in color and design.
My recollection Of him in summer time il that
he almost always appeared in snowy white
fabrics. During and after the great civil war
was ended Dr. Bliss sympathized most heartily
was trusted and honored by almost all the
leaders Of the party to degree unparalleled by
that enjoyed by any other professional man OF
his day. His Office was crowded by people of
wealth and influence, and his pecuniary re-
ceipts from his practice must have been very
great for many years, and probably exceeded
those OF any other physician In Washington.
His Office being contiguous to mine, we met
frequently In consultation as years rolled on,
and were thrown still more closely In contact
by the great tragedy Of the assassination of
President Garfield, in 1881.
THE SUMMONS TO eARRIELDs SIDE.
"On the I'd Of July, 1881, while in my Office,
r - r. -.
at once-that President Garfield had been shot
Being at first incredulous, I hesitated in going,
but finally drove rapidly to the Baltimore and
Potomac depot, and as drove down Pennsyl-
vania avenue saw the multitude all with one
accord Fastening to the depot, realized that
something dreadful had happened. fastening
upstairs, saw President Garfield lying on a
mattress, hastily procured for his use, in the
northeast corner of the room. He was deathly
pale, almost pulseless, and apparently dying
from internal hemorrhage. DIR. Bliss was pres
ent, surrounded by number of physicians and
was evidently recognized by all who were there
as in full charge of the case. After awhile the
President rallied and 1t was deemed best after
consultation among the physicians, to remove
him to the White House. He was tenderly and
carefully carried on the mattress to an ambu-
lance that had been sent for, and slowly driven
to the White House. think see now the sea
of human faces in and around the depot as we
carried him down the stairs, with the mingled
expressions Of pity and CONSERVATION that was
visible on each of them. How can adequately
describe the sad and weary eighty days that
followed that fatal day. The dreadful heat Of
those summer days, pent up in that room, with
the still more sultry nights. 1t was enough to
break our hearts to fight day after day what we
felt (after the first few weeks) must inevitably
be q losing battle. Hoping against hope, to
keep up the courage Of our nlustrious pa
tient by cheerful faces, when we felt each day
the shadow OF death drawing nearer and more
near.
THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE CASE.
"But there was another thing that added
still more to our cup Of bitterness. It is a
shame to have to speak of it, and yet the truth
must be told. While President Garfield HIM
self relied implicitly upon Dr. Bliss vet those
nearer to the President failed to give DR.. Bliss
the loyal support that he should have received.
He was beset from without by bitter enemies
and from within by faint-hearted and false
friends. 1t is my deliberate conviction that
the treatment OF Dr.. Bliss by Congress and the
government of the United States was charac-
terized by depth Of ingratitude unequaled in
modern history. But must hasten to close
this sad record. DIR. Bliss failed steadily in
health the last few years, and those who knew
him well saw that the end was drawing near.
He was stricken with his third attack of paraly-
sis February 20, 1889, and died the next day at
7:2O am. He was entirely unable to speak,
yet showed that he knew those around him
until an hour or two before his death. He
could not lie down, and as he rested his head
upon my shoulder, I thought with bitterness
Of heart too deep for tears how much his life
had been spent for others and how little he
had received in return. Tired and weary on
the morning Of his death, had lain down to
sleep, and was hastily summoned by his de-
voted daughter to come, for a change was
coming. Truly 1t was q change for the shadow
OF death was upon him. As We supported him
thrill like an electric shock passed through
him and his spirit was with Him who gave II.
Faithful, true-hearted and devoted friend,
farewell"
WHAT IS BOULANGISM?