The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-04-06
COL. SHEPARD'S SAD DEATH.
Omcial Statement OF the Attending Pay
sicians AZ to It's Cause.

sicians AZ to Its Csuse.
NEW YORK, March 29.--At the spe-
clal request OF Chaunccv M. Depew and
the family OF the late Elliot Il. Shepard,
Drs. Mcl}urncy and McLane gave out
the following statement for publication:
"ln consequence Of the many mis-.
statements that have been made in the
public press in regard to the c,se OF tho
late Elliot +. Shepard, the undersigned,
at the request OF his family and mauy
friends, have consented to make the fol-
lowing statement:
On Friday afternoon, March "a, we
met at Col. Shepard's house for the pur-
pose OF making a thorough exploration,
under ether, OF his bladder, and we pro-
posed, II practicable, to remove the
stone which 1t contained. The presence
OF the stone had been determined at two
careful examinations, made February
~ and March .. These were conducted
without an ancsthetic, and gave the pa
tlent some pain. Between February 81
and March 81 several examinations Of
the urine were made, but no evidence of
any organic disease Of the kidney was
found. His heart and lungs proved to
be healthy, and after n careful examlna-
ton the existence OF any disease was
excluded, such aa might interfere with
The proper performance Of the proposed
operation, which was postponed, Mt
Col. Shcpard's own request, until March
"a. We especially instructed him to eat
very lightly at au carly hour on the day
OF the proposed operation, and to take
no food afterwards.
"At 1870 O'Clock, when VIC found
him in his stu>iy, he was apparently in
good spirits, but remarked that he ielt a
little ncvous about the operation. lie
went UP AZ once to his bedroom, re
moved his clothes, wrapped himself in
his dressing gown, looked about at til,
seemingly elaborate preparations which
had been made for the operation, ant
expressed surprise at their detail. ne
was tod they related chiefly TO surgical
cleanliness, and were no greater than h,
would lind IN good hostipal, and tha,
ne desired ~ least as careful treatment
as hospital patient. He pre- ferred to
take the ether on the operating table
rather than on the bed.
About 1915 the administration of
eIhcr commenced. 1t was explained to
nm that by taking full inspirations, an d
not Offering resistance, he would como
more rapidly under the influence OF the
anesChetlc, and ior few moments he in
nailed the ether commonly we'll, his
breathing beng full and free. HIS color
now changed somewhat, and it was ap-
parent that he vas nauseated. In an
other momcn. he vomitcd. After this,
ms color was better, but as his respira-
Ilohs were not satisfactory nor his pulse
strong The further administration of the
ancsthctlc was discontinued. AS yet
not enough ether had been given 10 ad
NIT proceeding with the proposed oper-
ation. All OF our efforts were now di.
rcctcd TO securing proper respiratory ac-
IlOn. AS ls usual in all cases where res
plratlon IS not perfectly satisfactory, the
breathing continuing very labored, an
eXa nlnatiOn was made of the larynx, TO
discover whether possibly some particle
OF lood had lodged IN 1T, but such proved
not to be the case.
"Ihc patients condi ton was now so
alarming as 10 call for extreme meas
ures, and in the hope that tn. symp.
TOMS might be due to the presence in
the "lndpipc OF VOmitcd material acci-
den.ally Inhaled, the operation of ira
charotomy. or the opening of the wind
pipe, was performed. No foreign ma.
tcrlal OF any nj was found; and we
even passed rubber tube lown the
Windplpc and into tho bronchial tubes,
making use offs powerful aspiratin
syringe. without discovering the pres
cncc OF anything bnt bloody mucus.
"ln the meantime, several careful
examinations were made of the lungs,
and s)unds were heard such as Indicate
oedema OF these organs. Oxygn had
been previously senL for, and under its
influence the patient slightly revived.
Artificial respiratlon5 and every other
means which might possibly give relief
"cre resortcd to. From this time on the
breathing became even more cmbar-
rassed, but still artificial respiration was
contlnnally KEPT ~, although his pulse
became steadily m orc feeble. He sank
rapidly INTO unCOnsC; BUSINESS, aud in
spite OF all cilOrts, died a! zen minutes
past 4 O'Clock.
"ln our opinion, Col. She oard died
OF ocdcma and congestion of the luags,
following The administration of ether,
but primarily due to some cause un
knGwn TO us.
flames w. MCLANE, M. ID.
'ClIARLES MCBURNEY, M. ID.