Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-26

the waiting friends with such exultant
declarations as "All danger passed. Go
home and be easyl The president will be
at his desk sound and well In six weeks
timer etc, etc, IL taxes the patience as
well as the forbearance OF a Disguised
people TO understand or forgive such dis
astrous evasions OF truth and fact
This late exposition OF medical inaccu-
racy has been lamentable for more rea-
sons than one. While the nation as well
as the family OF Mr.. Kinley were hurled
down from the Joyful heights Of conf
dence and hope 10 the very depths OF
anxiety and grief there Is obliged to be
unspolen dread that these doctors were
from the start. either incapable in prac-
tice or dishonest in their public declara-
lions as to the presidents condition dur
ing the week he suffered and finally died
under their treatment
II speaks loudly for the general indif-
ference Of the taxpayers that incompe-
tence should be paid for services OF this
kind without public rebuke. and when
the medical bill Is presented. as It will be
presented very soon, for settlement there
should be a thorough going over, with
examination Of the misleading bulletins,
and the bill should be scaled down ac-
cording to the value of services really
given II Is time TO call a halt on over
grown medical fees in cases like those
rebuke should be felt In pocket as well as
pride.
Nobody heard Of gangrene until the au-
topsy, but the world knows that bullet
passing through vital parts was danger
Gus IN the extreme, and since the doctors
never did find the bullet, before or after
death, a half-idiot might reasonably I'M
derstand that the bullet did kill President
Mckinley. and so long as that bullet was
imbedded inside his vital parts II could
not be truthfully said he was out OF dan
ger.
Comparing the optimistic reports with
the reported temperature almost normal
accompanied with pulse beating l8 and
100 was sufficient for person 1000 miles
away to know the president was unfor-
tunate in his doctors. as well as danger
Gus as to his real condition. Nothing but
a miracle would have awaited in such a
crisis. President Garfield, with const-
tuition like iron, battled with his wound
and his doctors for weeks and months,
but President Mckinley had no such stay
ing power in his system.
And although Mr.. Edison sent his finest
X-ray machine to the sufferers bedside,
accompanied by his most expert operator,
these extraordinary doctors put II all
aside as unnecessary. To locate the fatal
bullet. which was the one thing needful
10 preserve valuable life at that time,
was the ONCE of the X-ray machine, but
those confident NJ DIS impatiently dis
missed the X-ray and preferred to leave
the bullet undisturbed. II IL was not so
awfully tragic the conceit and obduracy
OF this corps Of doctors would be irresist-
IDLY comic
ouacks are not all dead vet.
And the idea of allowing lot Of solid
food TO coagulate and ferment m a human
stomach which had two holes in It. caught
together by frail stitches, was just an
other symptom Of defective modern medi-
cal practice, combined with dense igno-
rance. II the bullet had been located and
lifted out this extraordinary diet might
have defeated the struggle for the pa
tents life with the bullets influence
averted. -ss-
Taking the case altogether our common
average country doctors may take COM
fort in the thought that doctors are born.
not made. and judging by the efforts Of
swell practitioners in high life incompe-
tency increases where the responsibility
Is greatest.