Evening star., 1901-09-13
CASES CON TRASTED
Little Similarity Between President
Gar6eld's and McKinley's.
ONE OF FORMERS SURGEONS TALKS
Was Sustained Almost Entirely
by Liquid Nourishment
ACTUAL CAUSE OF DEATH

DR.. Robert Reyburn, who Is the sole sur
vivor of the six surgeons who attended
President Garfield during his last Illness. q
period Of nearly two months and half. In
the present condition OF Pres
ident Mckinley. said to Star reporter this
afternoon that there were very few points
Of similarity between the conditions OF the
two men.
''Sympathizing deeply as we all do with
the wounded President. our wishes have led
us to take the most favorable view of the
case.
"The symptom which has given me a
feeling Of uneasiness all the time, however.
has been the increased rate of the pulse
when compared with the other symptoms.
The ratio of the pulse to the respiration
should be about four to one, very nearly,
the normal pulse Of person Of the Presi-
dents age being from 10 to 80 and the res
pirations about one-fourth. It will be seen
by examining the bulletins that the num-
ber Of respirations has always exceeded the
proper ratio of four Of the pulse to one
of the respiration. This frequency Of the
pulse indicates some weakness of the hearts
action, and is, Of course, an element OF
danger"
DR.. Reyburn expressed his hearty SYM
pathy with the physicians attending the
President, knowing the hard task they have
to fulfill and having been in like position
himself.
Garfield Sustained.
President Garfield was attended with
most devoted and assiduous care by his
surgeons" continued DR.. Reyburn. land
was kept alive from July to September 49,
a period of seventy nine days. During this
time his nourishment consisted largely Of
nutritive enemas, administered through the
bowels. During period Of ten days he re-
ceived no nourishment by the mouth, ex-
ceptfng water. and throughout the entire
course Of his illness he was sustained by
liquid food almost entirely.
Real Cause Of GarneId's Death.
THE immediate cause Of President Gar
fields death Is generally misunderstood
He suffered from profound sepsis or blood
poisoning on account OF the ball as it
passed through the first lumbar vertebra
(or piece Of the back bone). lacerating and
destroying the cancellated or porous
structure Of the bone. This condition of
affairs would ultimately have caused his
death, but the immediate cause of his
death was the rupture Of traumatic an
eurism (or blood tumor) Of the splenic ar
terry. The ball in it's course grazed the
splenic artery. thus weakening the coats
OF the blood vessel. The pressure from the
pulsations Of the heart caused this weak
ened part Of the blood vessel to dilate,
thus gradually forming an aneurism or
blood tumor of the splenic artery. which
finally burst on the night Of September 10,
1881, causing his immediate death.
Garfeld's Wound.
The following is an account Of the as
sassination and also the death bed scene
of President Garfield, written by DR.. Rey-
burn:
On the morning Of July 3 1881, President
Garfield. accompanied by Secretary Blaine,
drove up to the street entrance Of the
Baltimore and Potomac sdepot. Washing
ton, d. c.. intending with party COM
posed Of the members of his family, cabi-
net and personal friends, to take pleasure
trip through the New England states At
9:3O am President Garfield and Secretary
Blaine were walking across the ladies' re-
ception room on their way to take the
train, when pistol shot was heard, which
was Immediately followed by a second re-
port. There was a rush of those who were
present to the reception room. where the
President was found lying on the floor with
blood streaming from two wounds, one q
slight flesh wound Of the right arm, and
one of the right side Of the body.
The President turned at the first shot and
fell on his knees at receiving the second
shot. The first ball from the assassin's re-
volver struck the upper portion of the right
arm. inficting slight flesh wound. The
second bullet entered the right side Of the
back, four inches to the right Of the spinal
column. and on level with the twelfth or
lowest of the dorsal vertebrae, and passing
at first forwards, fractured the eleventh
and twelfth ribs, then being DETECTED to
the left passed through the body Of the
first lumbar vertebrae in an oblique direc-
tion to the left, and emerging thence
passed behind and below the pancreas,
where it was found at the post-nortem
examination. The second ball in it's course
penetrated some OF the branches of the
mesenteric arteries and grazed the splenic
artery.
How He Died.
September 10 at 10 pm. General Swaim
who was watching in the room with the
President heard him gasp and make an
effort to speak. He at once arose and
came to his bedside He stood there for
few moments looking at him as he ap-
parently lay asleep. The President open
ing his eyes. saw and recognized him and
said: "Well, Swaim." and then Immediate
ly afterward, "Oh my! SWAIN what a pain
have right here" putting his hand to
his heart. General Swain leaned over and
felt his pulse. and then, finding himself
unable to count its beats, sent instantly
for DIR. Bliss, who was In the next room.
1t required but a glance to see what was
coming. Death was at hand. Dr. Bliss
sent Immediately for Drs Agnew and
Hamilton and called Mrs GARFIELD, who
was in the adjoining room. Within half a
n
ber. Nothing was said but the one oues-
uon she =: addressed to DR.. Bliss. rs there
no hope?" Madame" replied the doctor
gravely, ''he is dying"
BY this time Mrs. Rockwell and Miss
Rockwell. Miss Garfield, Private Secretary
Brown, Colonel Rockwell and DR.. Agnew
had entered the room. Mr.. John Ricard,
Mr.. H. L. Atchinson and the four attend
ants were also present. The President was
quite unconscious. His eyes were half
closed, and the balls Of them turned up
ward. so that the lines of white showed
between the half-opened lids. There was
no sound in the sick room except his
breathing. which at times was loud and
stertorous. and then again could scarcely
be heard. 1t was not many minutes tat
1898 p pm.) before the life went out SO grad
ually that 1t was hardly manifest when he
was dead. When the limbs had assumed
that eternal rigor which only decay can
change DR.. Bliss tried to feel the pulse
and endeavored in vain to hear the heart
beats. and then said in a half whisper, ut
is over"
THE PURCHASE OF BONDS.