Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1897-07-22
BULLET HOLE IN HIS uEARr
fhns Wounded. Thi. Mn, ,;. ~
ing Natures Iaws

ing Natures Laws.
Chicago, July l9.-Charles r No,
SUM- who' while in Washington Park
~n the night of July l, in COMPANY
WIN Mrs. Edith NJ. Staples, was shot
:" .he breast, expects to learn soon if
'o - carrying around heart with
bullet hole bored through it. He sub.
United to the X-rays for two sciaerapbs
,'st night, III the hope of locating the
o' a,' hred INTO his chest on that night.
The sciagraphs seem to indicate that
ne oaii cut through the heart on the
shortest and most direct line, to lodge
near the spine, but they are not Quite
conclusive. When he was brought to
.he Chicago hospital the surgeons said
no was shot in the heart and was
doomed to death. He SURPRISED them
ny promptly getting better and he was
wei enough yesterday to 20 to Wash.
lnSton Park and try to locate the
ciump of bushes near which he and
MIS-. Staples We're sitting when he was
shot.
when the Photographic plates were
developed person was able to see
traces or the bullet. One of the plates
showed the bullet in line with the
junction OF the spine and the ninth rib
Inc other indicated it was back of the
Junction OF the fourth rib and the breast
oohe. These two points are in Q direct
line from chest to back.
1t is the opinion of the specialist
Judging from the density of the bullet
spots in the negatives that the bullet
WIS lodged about two inches in front of
the spine If that is so, and the ball
travelled in a straight line, it must
nave gone through the heart. If it did
not go through the heart, how did it
get around the heart and reach its
present location? That is what troubles
the surgeons. Nelson's heart is direct
~ back OF the entrance of the bullet
and surgeons say the bullet could not
have gone in direct line without pierre
ing the heart. The sciagraphs indicate
that the ball was not DETECTED. 1t will
require another sciagraph showing a
lateral view of the patients chest to
determine whether the bullet has
passed through the heart or not. If it
proves to be back of the heart, the
mystery will be greater than ever.
When Nelson was brought to the
hospital and his wound was probed he
lost pint of blood. The surgeons
were satisfied his heart was pierced and
said he had but short time to live.
Wien he began to recover they con-
cIuded that the bullet had pierced the
pericardium, the sack enveloping the
heart, and dropped, perhaps, to the
bottom Of the sack after bruising the
heart. The sciagraphs indicate that
the bullet did not drop, but went
straight ahead in its course, after bor-
ing its way through the breast bone.
In taking the sciagraphs, Nelson was
exposed to the waist, revealing round
hole in his chest with traces of blood
about the ortice. He sat in front of
the apparatus in small room at the
hospital, with his chest to the Crooks
tube and the Photographic plate fas-
tened to his back. Several surgeons
and white-capped nurses were in the
room. The patient held bit Of cloth
to his chest to cover the gaping bullet
hole. His body had been smeared with
cocaine to lessen the irritation and he
declared he felt no pain, only a prick
ing sensation.
For several minutes the company ST.
lently watched and listened. Then the
patient was turned around and the doc
tor held another plate to his chest for
four minutes. Nelson said he felt no
pain either from his wound or from the
X-ray.