New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-09-14
THE PRESIDENTS WOUNDS.
EXPERT OPINION FROM LEADING MEDI-
CAL JOURNALS OF THE COUNTRY.

..Tbe philadelphia Medical Journal" TO be issued
to-day. win contain following editorial article
on The Presidents Wounds. written. as me
reader viii see before the President suffered ms
sudden and unexpected relapse. which The Tribune
is enabled to print from advance proofs kinoiy
sent by the publishers
After the first shock caused by me lhnuih nan
passed. the question OF paramount ays we that this
valuable life will be spared to the nation? In me
light OF surgical knowledge and experience w ana
what ground can we place our hopes iof inc
The details received at the time OF writing are
not quite so fun should lice FROM me IN IN
crime was committed about p and ABOUT 1st
three hours after me me- b,Iets from short
saTrelied revolver. hred from directly in front and
The arst shot struck the sternum at about the
nipple line and was detected taveihg J 1S left
nfnpie The second bullet entered the abdomen al
i RGnt I%e AND at aa ere of about half
above the ambitious dne in@ DIRECTLY in front of
each other the weapon was held IN the risal
me course Of the second. it seems almost certain,
was from before directly backward and from apos ,
that unless detected after entering the BODY,
waid carry it through the lower anterior wall Of
the stomach little 10 me caaI Gis su woUnd of
exit IN the posterior wall tte lo@eI owen tb nos
terror abdominal wall at point near 81 .ba a. LID
left crus of the diaphragm little ABOVE inc Ai0-
chest wound probably not sangs Tomnd fo OF
The chest Of a kind which, although palnIul anu anu
sometimes dificult heal is practically WITHOUT
shows is that the muzze velocity of the bullet was
very great as eyinced 6y the lsr d % from on d.
recty in 'front.' This Is not , lanOraD odnce the
larger ard more ragged wounds - ,aor,,ra,
The immediate dangers from such an ap , at
9le a sfuafed to the left Of the spinal column
wound OF the Epancreas, which is usuaIly nineui
al injury 10 the Splnal coTo bg
tration of the sqinal canal by me me- o ber roercI
fully escaped. and now there remain only the SEE
ondary effects 70 be feared; sooo,5arv dangers
BY far the greatest OF these secoboaiH 10 Si,,e
is peritontis yet there are t%9 iac9Tr nus COM
,iication. These are an empty stomach at the
time of injury and prompt operation by shiiiui
The first Of these is most important as a,, the
~ the general peritoneal cavity. Nerertheiesss
there many cases IN when 5i'e eune rito,oaI
caTitv in which recovery has followed opeirauon;:
rncro-organisms than any othft p ariv operat;on
festival canal. The statistics or eafy pc ali
mentaTy eaiaI of tvphoid fever Where there are
the cav factors which would lead t. fear
. lethai termination. which are not pfesent III
President McKinley's case. the results nave Been
The immediate operation by the , skfS! 5 surgeon bas s
by whom it done, and the time ina. ha tb ai
,csadv eIapsed make il almost certain that thene
is no d9nse5 3f Per itS might possibly
arise late- from leakage al the site OF me re
Iounds being opened by the peristaltic movements
The stomach a, OF y ,yneJI fo the same reason
hat prevented the primary peritori Is; -. =. t
= @esTqd. together With the other hangers insep.
arabic from an eEiensye opefai9 Op pge hoWever
unlimited because Of the skfui hands IN IN " mn
the President is placed and because OF MS tenn
An Injury to the spine can he ruled out as it
would surely have shown itself before this.
Iriur. TO the kidney would have hcsu showh oy
,e qIg he bemorrase The greatest danger here,
aside from fee henoTTsG IL, Il h seco os1iops
but net necessarily fatel complication =.
SHOULD the net o lodge se IN t treu6e should
it DO -. however il can radiiy be located by the
As long as 1872 long befors he DAYS @r ase
IF AqFs g. Martin erf W." %d Pf'sR TIM the ABDOMEN
with musket bali. and received far more ek,
ua 1a' President McKialey and yet under the
and lived for many years. although with gastric
that may possibly interfere with the President
subsequent hath TgSn as the somach or ad
7esiors between the stomach and other organs
Il is however too soon for the discussion Of these
summary the three chief dangers by which which
fyNrftoneaI abscess. and urFmia- The FIRST seems
fs0st Ia4 mach fo minnie this The second
retro-p eritOnesl aAscess. depends on an lnItcuoh
sho1gh rFIg dd lar largely 1pon the previous
ente Of the patients kidneys. which Is unknown
So though cannot deny that the crime Of
Czoleosz has greatly imperilled the life of the
Chief Executive, yet We have strong GROUNDS Ior
the hope that tails valued life VIII be spared 10 US
for many long years 10 come
This article was written. of course before the
Presidents relapse occuTredl
PRESENT DAY METHODS IN SURGERY.
From advanced proofs furnished TO The Tribune
by the Philadelphia medical journal, American
Medicine" the following observations. written be-
fore the President had succumbed to his wounds.
regarding the surgical aspects of President McKin-
szys treatment are taken:
The surgical aspects of President Mckinley 5
Of the greatest interest 10 the entire med-
cal profession The allenist and anthropologlst
may study the psychical traits and mental CHAR
acteristics OF his caiin assaiiant; the poucal
economist ana statesman RlIl be interested IN the
causes of such crimes and the extent and the rem
edy for anarchtstic teachings and practices. bnt
the medical man VIII watch with trained eye lhe
bulletins the rise and fall of pulse and temper
iIlustrious patient which indicate the triumph or
failure OF our present day methods OF abdominal
OF It's chief executive is the hands of surgeons
Of skill and ability already well known 10 the
be confident that all that surgical art has attained
and surgical science acquired is known and util-
that surgeon who when brought suddenly face TO
lace with q conoltlon OF afalrs requiring pronpt
action and quick decision. not found wanting:
but knowing thoroughly that the Presidents condi-
ZION denna nded Immediate laparotonav gave his pa
tient the hene5t Of rroont surgery thereby giving
him the best and only chance for his life FIRE.
ouently il has seemed that an obscure citizen re-
ceived better treatment than a celebrated patient
Of exalted position and power, because OF delay
in action. multiplicity Of consultations fearful
ness OF assuming responsibility: but such was not
the with Mr.. Mckinley. The emergency hos
pital well equipped, the experienced surgeons
courageous yet not presumptuous, leave nothing In
this Instance TO be criticised or regretted. And
Whatever may be the result OF the skilful enorts
TO save the life Of our beloved President, il be-
comes an nm guy 30 pl I9e protesson 20
the credit for their work. and to assure the aity