The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-03-27
EDITOR sHEPARD's DEATH,
Tho Physicians Give Detailed Statement
OF the Case,

Tho Physicians Give Detailed Statement
OF the Case,
New YoRK, March 26,-At a special
request Of DR.. Chauncey NJ. Depew and
the members of the family Of the late
Elliot +, Shepard, doctors McBurney
and McLane tonight gave out the fol-
lowing statement for publication;
"In consequence OF the many mis-.
statements that have been made in
tho public press in regard to the case OF
the late Eliot f. Shepard, the under.
signed, at the request OF his family and
many friends have consented to make
the following statement;
"On Friday afternoon, March "a, We
met at Colonel Shepard'a house for tho
purpose OF making thorough explora-
tlon under ether OF his bladder, and we
proposed ii practicable to remove the
stone which 1t contained. The pres.
ence OF the stone had been determined
at two careful examinations made on
February "a and March 0. These we're
conducted with an angsLhetic and gave
the patient some pain.
"At about l2:45 the administration OF
the ether was commenced, 1t was ex'
planned to him that by taking full in
spirations and not offering any resist
ance he would come moro rapidly under
the influence Of the anesthetic, and for
few minutes he inhaled tho ether un-
commonly well, his breathing being full
and free.
"His color now changed somewhat,
and it was apparent that he was
nauseated, In another moment ho
vomited. After this his color was
better, but as his respirations were not
satisfactory, nor his pulse, the further
administration OF the anG-thetic was
discontinued, And yet not enough
ether had been given to admit Of pro-
ceeding with the proposed operation.
"All our efforts were now directed to
securing proper respiratory action.
'As Is usual in cases where respiro-
tion is not perfectly satisfactory, the
breathing continuing very labored, an
examination was made ot the latynX to
discover whetherp possibly some particle
OF food had lodged in ii, but such
proved not to be the case.
"The patients condition was now so
alarming as to call for extreme meas
nres, and in the hope that the symp'
toms might be due to the presence in
the wind.pipe OF vomited material, acci-
dentally inhaled, the operation
OF trachGotomy or opening Of the wind
pipe was performed. No foreign mate
rial OF any kind was found. We even
passed rubber tube down the wind
pipe and into the bronchial tubes,
making use Of n powerful aspirating
syringe without discovering the pres.
ence OF anything but bloody mucus. In
the meantims several careful examin-
ations were made Of the lungs and the
sounds were heard such as indicate
ndema OF these organs. Oxygen
had been previously sent for, and under
its influence the patient slightly revived.
Artificial respiration and every other
means which might possibly give relief
was resorted to. From this time on his
breathing became more embarrassing,
but still artificial respiration was con-
tinuously kept up, although his pulse
became steadily more feeble.
"He sank rapidly into unconscious.
ness and in spite OF all efforts, died at
ten minutes past 4 o'clock. In
our opinion Colonel Shepard
died OF sudden oedema and con-
qestion of the lungs following the nd.
ministration Of ether, but primarily due
to aome cause unknown to us.
[Sgned]
dJAMEs W. McLASE, NJ. D.
"CHARLEs McBURNEY, NJ. D."