Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-09-19
PRIEST. M'KINLEY'S WOUND.
New YoHIS Medical journal Discusses
It's Nature and Treatment.

Lts nature NnU
NEW YORK. September 18.-The
forthecmipr edition Of the New YORK
Medical Journal will discuss The case
OF the lac President Mckinley in a
lengthy article. 1t will say:
at is a melancholy consolation to
know that the fatal termination Of
President McIIinleys case was not in
the slightest degree due to any oms-
sion to give him the full benefit of all
the present resources of the at: an1
there is nothing humiliating in the fact
that the favorable prosnos's which for
five or six days seemed just fed would
have finally proved falIaclous.
1T is expected that an Official report
Of the case will be given to the pro
feaslon in the course Of a short time
Pending the Issue OF the report, let us
briefly review the case At the time
OF his assassination. President McKin-
ley was probably in better physical
condition than P-ost men of. his age. IS
years, who lead q sedentary life. So
fer as is known, ne was free from all
organic disease. though his vitality
nay have been somewhat impaired by
tho fearful mental strain to which the
duties OF his Office and it's responsible
tiles and anyieties had lone sub 'ected
him. He was suddenly cut down by a
cruel wound, but he bore it bravely
and there was little of the condition
known as shock.
This freedom from shock was cor
rectly Interpreted as showing that no
considerable internal hemorrhaee was
going on. Without uelay ne was taken
to a we'll equipped hospital and attend
ed by surgeons of world reputa-
ton and vast experience. The opera
ton Itself was performed by an exceed
ingly capable gynecologist, who was
assisted by equally capable general
surgeons. It is perfectly certain that
there was no technical fault in the
operation and 1t may be said with
equal positiveness that it would have
verged on madncss to prolong the
search for the bullet after it had been
ascertained thar it had not inflicted
any very grave iniurey beyond that of
the stomach ascer.e ned thu is TO say.
within the limitations of warrantable
efforts.
The operation having been finished
without seriously taxing the distin-
9uished patients Vita powers. there
followed al least five days Of freedom
from serious symptoms. This we say
with full appreciation OF the fact that
the record OF the pulse and respiration
seemed ominous, for the high rate
might have been due to any one OF
a number of conditions not in them
selves Of grave import. The hopeful
view was taken, and quite natura "
that it could be so explained 1t is
! easy to be wise after the event, and to
say that in this respect the surgeons
were in error; err they certainly did
as the result shows. but to err in such
a way argues no incapacity or avoidah q
lack of judgment-it simply, we rep at
| Illustrate the fact that the medical
man is not perfect being.
"Gangrenc was probably established twt
or three days bsfore the fatal issue fol
lowed but 1t could hardly have occurre,
very carly without giving rise to NOR
d!squietinE phenomena than augmente
ton Of the pulse and respiration rates
which, as we have said before, might wei
have been due to some comparatively un
important disturbance. To the woun,
Of the kidney we attribute little import
ance further than arises from the fac
that it made one more traumatic surfac