The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-16
NAY HAVE BEEN POISONED.
DR.. AirDurney Talks OF the Fatal
-.l Bullet IrIrcd by CsoISosz-


-... Bullet IrIrcd by CzoI&osz-
sTOCKGEIDCE. Mass. Sept. I5.-When
seen by "a reporter and asked To- comment
uoon the theory that the bullet which
killed President Mckinley was poisoned
Dr. Charles GcEurney said.
1T looks suspicious. In my experience
have never seen a wound in such a con-
ditiou as described in the report Of the
autopsy. made by an ordinary bullet.
Il am not prepared % state positively"
continued Dr. NcBurney. that the bullet
was poisoned. and until chemical auaiy-
SIS is made ye shall not know. A bullet
wound may De rerei1 ca In the thigh. for
instance. and provided it does not cut an
artery or shsttsr q bone. &. viii quickly
heal under ordinary conditions.
In a wound ike the Presidents. where
many TISSUES were perforated, the suspi-
cious thing Is that. according to the re-
ports. thu Eangrenc followed the entire
path of the bullet. In cutting the tissue
Of the stomach. for example. an ordinary
wound might develop gaugrene 20 some
rzt,nt where the bullet went in. but IF /
understand The reports Of the autopsy
correctly. The Clnrrene was just as great
IN extent at the end Of the wound rs at
its beginning. This is something that 10
bullet was al ordinary one
-Suppos,ug the presence Of gangrene
had been discovered before the condition
Of the p, eident assumed such o. serious
phase. could life have been savCd2'
one way To treat conditions ike this"
replied DR.. McBurney. would be u lay
open thu whole wound and cut out the
diseased tissue. A wound Ike the Prcsi-
dents. Involving 30 many different It's
sues. could hardly be treated in this way.
f0T after cutting away part q the
stomach. o. part Of the d5dCmsu. and a
part Of the other tissues involved what
would there have been IsftT You cannot
apply cEsEic=! agents 10 wounds IKE
that"
Dr. McEuIn,y said that the people must
wait for thu chemical analysis Of The bull
/ lets remaining in the assassiH.s revolver.
Cor IL viii take time TO examine th'u. lie
thinks that If poison Was used IL was
small quantity, and the chemists who
aualyze them VIII have the handicap Of
Not knowing exactly what sort az poison
thy az. looking for.
There has been comment IN some quar-
] toys as q The fact that DR.. GrGu~uey
diG rot sign the faal statement made by
/ IN. pIy-i siIus Who attended the prssi-
| don't I.o stated tn-t be was obliged 90
/ leave Buffalo before the autopsy was con-
| cIUded. and mat be- was present only 1T
/ tine preliminary and superficial oxamiua-
/ ton.
/ Or NcEurroy said that She most per-
/ feet harmony existed between the sur
] Eeous and Tuy=iciaus at work IN Buffalo.
! before b. was called ira consultation 10
/ Buffalo. h. stated. the newspaper ac-
I counts showed that the surgeons who
/
( most excellent pace Of work
/ When I reached buffalo" no said ct
/ found this was co. The operation was
perfectly and beautifully done. The ply
/ siciaus showed "a cieaTucss Of decision
I that was admirable. The gravity and re-
( sp0rsiliItics u the situation brought out
/ the best ia every man. The surgical 0p-
/ Grafton was well done. The autopsy
/ showed that
! Il would throw out as having no bear
/ ing on the death OF the President the in
/ jury 10 the Hduey. which was superficial.
/ and the injury 20 the paucreas. This
I latter injury could not have been serious.
/ as the autopsy showed that there had
/ been no considerable ESCAPE Of the pan
| create fluid"
Il was sugg SEED 10 Dr. McBuraey that
/ 30 was thought strange in some quarters
I that the physicians should have issued
I bulletins Of such an encouraging nature
/ in view OF the sudden change and subse-
| qucut death Of the distinguished patient
] He explained thls by saying that there
were so many favorable 50 mptoms in the
! President s condition UD 10 the time Of his
/ collapse that hope beat high. The rapid
action Of the pulse was really the only
unfayOrabIe symptom up 10 a certain
point. and IN all other ways the President
appeared To- be- doing well. Dr. McRUrney
! is convinced that all that modern surgical
and medical skill could DO was done TO
save the Presidents life. and h. paid high
! tribute 10 the men who had active charge
/ OF the case.