The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-09-27

one face to face with the mystery
which no theory seems adequately to
clear up. So far as we are able at
present to set these theories forth we
may classify. them somewhat as fol
lows:
Death was due to an absorption into
the circulation of the morbid products
of the extensive necrosis, the intoxi-
cation finally overcoming the vitality
of the heart, naturally weak, and fur
Their lessened by disease.
Death was the result Of a kind Of
shock through the injured solar plex-
us superinduced by the injury and sub
seGuent necrosis of the tissues in its
neighborhood.
Either theory is simply a method of
pushing the mystery a step further
back and Of asking the question, what
was the cause Of the extensive NEGRO
sis? To this there are several MS
Wers:
It was due to septic matter carried
in with the bullet, either from the
clothing, or from some other accident
al source. The absence of inflamma-
ton or Of pus makes it difficult to
understand how the result could have
been thus brought about.
1t vas due to a cunningly poisoned
bullet, but no substance is known
which could produce such a wide
spread necrosis. ...
1t was due to a strange and rare,
but by no means unknown, absence
of healing power in some disease and
t persons. DR.. Phelps, of Buffalo, rec
? emily had a similar case. The eX-
tension of the gangrenous process to
I tissues but -distantly and slightly in
| terfered with as to nutrition, might
be held as merely an extreme loss of
l such healing power. This devitaliza-
: ton of the structures, it might be
added, would be very natural in a man
who, at the presidents age, had long
t led a sedentary life, and who had
borne the heavy burdens of power
Y n responsibility.
1t is possible that the necrosis o,
lowered healing power was due to in
jury to the solar plexus whereby the
q trophic power was inhibited or de
ranged, partially by direct trauma, o.
e partially by the action of the pan
a create exudate, reaching it's com
l. slot, ofeoc+ ,r11, oftny, two or th 1at
days.
The necrosis was Indirectly due t.
a conclusion of the pancreas, which
s was not perforated by the bullet, bu
which was ~"grazed" and slightly in
jured, or confused by it, ard whic]
within two or three days began t
pour out its natural or morbid secre
ton; and this, extending along tn
track of the wourd, induced the ne
crcsis, by it's strong ard positive d
gestive power, C. because Of the ma
ural or acquired lack Of hcalirg pCwe
in the tissues.
There is nc W3lCle science yet to b
revealed concerning the parcreas, bl
- from many published cases it is cles
- that this organ is easily injured; thu
fat-necrosis and ether kind of mo
- bid results soon ensue; that fatal r
g suits follow from slight injuries to il
-. that it's secretion, normal erd mo
, bid, rapidly pass through It's envelo
=. ing membrane, and con work irr
parable injury to other structures.
:. Until further light may be shed upt
y, the pathology, either by culture ma
10 from the tissues secured at the auto
sy, O. by some discovery, we held tn
dcgnatic opinion Is Lct justified. v
frankly say, however, that the theo
49, last suggested above gems to be Il
be- working hypothesis. A rigid an.
- ysia of all the case C pc-c1aatic d
80 ease and injury might 'erd to conh1
:, it.. In this case the pancreetic eA
-, date. causing tho necrosis, might pt
- sibly have oc-opelated with a min
bullet injury to the solar pleXus, a
the ebeorbtiCn Ct necrosic plCdut
-. thus added 20 the t1auma, to cres
both intoxicatiCn end nervous shoe
or possibly also, as we have sa
tlophic loss may have been in p;
or wholly due to direct traunlatic
cumulative degenelativc injury of
,ro sclar plcXu
ho+ Critioi5ms are usually freely Offer
with ra4zard to the conduct CT ST
case, many tin cs from those le
qualified to c~1ihiaa. Although ne
~; papers have beer Cl,cr&tirg repo
- to the contrary, we feel sure that
ION 'nA9 s~se =. -
comment will be heard from the m