The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-12

action we took last night has proved bene-
fetal and 1 feel more confident in the
Presidents recovery than al any time
since he was shot. Everything is favor
able and We have tripled the amount Of
nourishment. giving him now three tea
spoonsful of beef juice every hour instead
OF one. But the Presidents recovery will
be slow. All talk of him sitting up in a
few Gays and leaving Bunalo in a week, is
nonsense. L shall be satisfied if he can
be moved in six weeks"
DR.. Mynter said that DR.. Mann had taken
out the stitches in the wound last night
He described the necessity for the action
explaining that an irritation of the skin
was not unusual in such cases He said
that generally speaking. the President was
doing eXcellently. He drank water freely
passed it freely, and the condition or his
bowels was satisfactory.
DIR. Roswell Park, who came from the
house two minutes later. gave the most
positive assurances of satisfaction at the
condition OF affairs, and in addition gave
many or the circumstantial details of the
case at this moment TO allay any apprehen-
sion. What was done last night" said he,
shouldn't be called a secondary opera
ton, or any operation at ALL as il was
nothing of the kind 1t was just the ordi-
nary care given TO an incision that is
called Tor by the requirements OF surgery
In fact as affecting the patient il was
little more than opening his vest so the
opening of the incisiOn should not be given
an erroneous Interpretation. No one of us
in particular performed the work as might
be the case If anything in the nature of
an operation had occurred but all of us as
sisted in what was done. Two stitches
were taken out, but il was not necessary to
make any new stitches
COULD NOT BE BETTER
At this moment Mayor Dieh drove up
and inquired of DR.. Park as to the real
condition of affairs. 1T could not be bet
ter" answered DR.. Park in most positive
manner. The President is doing well
and everything following what was done
last night has been most natural and salts
factory.
DR.. Park asked as to the operation
of the bowels following the first admins
tration of beef juice by the mouth last
night.
THE results have been excellent" he re-
piled, and this morning We have increased
the quantity of beef juice fed by the mouth
The bowels have moved, showing that the
natural digestive processes are operating
and that the wounds in the side of the
stomach are not interfering with the proper
assimilation of food going into it,
The bulletin dated o clock was given out
at S:45. and was considered very reassuring
in every way, bearing out in an official way
the statements made by the physicians be-
fore It's appearance.
Drs McBurney and Mann emerged from
the house together at 1905 O'Clock. DR..
McBurney indicated not the slightest anx-
iety, and he expressed surprise when in
formed that alarmist stories had followed
the issuance of last nights bulletin. Il
think the bulletin perfectly frank"
said he I'VE all united in the assurance
| that no complications could follow
| acter of the irritation which had made the
reopening of the ncison necessary. 1T
was caused" said he. Just we stated,
coat was carried into the body by the bull
let-nOt far, not over an inch. The bullet
| then slipped through the fat. The frag-
ment of the coat was, of course, removed
| every surgeon understands that. even
though every foreign particle is removed.
case. When the stitches were taken out
the wound opened Of itself"
WAS any foreign substance found with
mot a particle he answered emphati-
| caly. THE wound was not again sewed
! FORMULATION"
us the opening of wounds after such an
| operation unusual?" he was asked.
Not in gunshot wounds, where foreign
| substances be carried into the body,
was any pus found in this case?"
| mo; not suggestion of pus. There was
| a thin fluid eXuded as a result of the in
fammation as was to be expected
| DR.. McBurney said he had not decided
| just when he would return home. IF
| remain over night" he said. cit will be
| solely because of my intense interest in
| the case"
| BETTER TO REMAIN IN BUFFALO.
When asked as to when the President
| could be moved, he said that no question as
| to that had arisen. IF it were necessary,
| said he, ''he could be moved to-day. He
| could be placed in an ambulance, taken
TO the train, placed lounge in a spe-
| cial and taken to Washington. That
| is, so far as his condition is concerned.
But there is no reason why he should not
enjoy every comfort and take his time
about it. 1t will not hurt him to remain
| a few weeks in Buffalo"
| DIR. McBurney said that the interior
wounds had healed. That, he said, was
| ident had digested the beef juice given to
| him last night He said the President had
| relshed the nourishment given him and
| that tomorrow he would be given the
| white of an egg and perhaps something
| else.
| DR.. Mann, who performed the original
| dressing. of the wound last night, con-
| Cured in the expression of confidence
| which the other doctors had given. What
| was done last night said Mr.. Mann, was
| merely the usual dressing of the wound in
| the abdomen requisite to keep it in proper
| condition. The incision is about five inches
| in length, just above the navel, horzont al
| and in line with the body. There is no
! cross incision. The cut was laid open care
| fully and some antiseptic gauze inserted.
The results were entirely satisfactory, and
| the Presidents condition this morning
| shows the benefit of what was done. He is
| cheerful and confident. In fact, he is do
| ing well that | would rot be surprised
| if we let him have cigar before long.
| AS to just when he can be moved, that is
] not being considered, for the reason that
| he Is much better off here than he would
| be in Washington, There the weather is in
| toerable in September, but here Ii is cool
| and bracing. which will count much in the
| stages of cOnvaleScence. One of the most
| depressing heat periods | ever experienced
| was in Washington In September. that
| all things considered IL will lend much 70
| the Presidents recovery to remain where
| he is at least until October"
| DR.. Mann was asked concerning the re-
| lation of the outer incision with the inner
| wounds of the stomach
| They are quite separate said he. The
| wounds of the stomach are those made by
| the bullet, while the outer iHcision was
| that required by the surgical operation i'm
| wounds of the stomach. they were closed
| during the operation. and now sufficient
| time has elapsed TO allow the sutures tC
| heal by natural process. That this is pro-
crossing nicely is evident from the restora-
| tion of the normal digestive processes
| Until last night we had not permitted food
| TO enter the stomach by way of the mouth
| But the administration of beef juice has
| proved so satisfactory that We have
doubled the amount and will add the
| as three and four teaspoonfuls Of beet
juice an hour and this will be gradually in
| crea Sed. "
DIR. Mann was asked if the treatment
of the wounds would in any way affect
the course to be pursued as to extracting
| the bullet.
mot at all. There is no need of extract
! ing the bullet. | have known a man who
carried bullet in the muscles of the heart
In this case the bullet is encysted by this