The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-07
TALK WITH DIR. a. W. BRAYToN.
He Is Gratifed that DIR. Park Is At
tending the President.

ChuAhS N IEcSf0ehts
DIR. A. w. Brayton, while listening to the
reading of the description Of the bullet
wounds. interrupted the reader with fire.
Quent remarks of Good Then he said:
Tina looks very favorable. Probably the
greatest danger now is from possible in
lection. OF one thing you may be sure.
The people OF the country may have the
greatest confidence in DR.. Park. He is one
OF the most surgeons of the
country. He is a recognized authority on
matters OF urgeTy He is a man acquaint-
ed with the principles of surgery-uot pettv
surgery-in all its branches. He is one of
the few men who would attempt bold brain
surgery and the like. L know him best
by his numerous articles and works on
surgery. He IS one Of the renowned sur
geons Of the East and his textbooks on
surgery are highly esteemed and used
throughout the colleges OF the West. He
IS probably best known because of his be-
lief that cancer is due to a parasiticaI
growth, for the study OF which he has a
special laboratory in Buffalo, and has sue
ceeded in interesting the State legislature
IN the matter TO the extent OF a large ap-
prOpriatiOn.'
DIR. Brayton said the matter Of abdom-
inal Injuries was one TO which a great deal
OF attention had been given and that
numerous works on the one subject had
been written. DR.. Park. he said. treated
The subject extensively, and the Spanish
American war and the war in South Africa
had given great opportunities for its study.
During the civil war, he said, the lives of
go few men receiving abdominal gunshot
WOUNDS were saved mat II might be said
there were none. Recently there are many
cases in which such wounds have not
proved fatal This is due, he said. To mod
ern surgery practice under which there is
10 hesitation in opening up the abdomen
10 trace the wound, cleanse the parts and
sew I'D the torn places. One of the most
favorable symptoms, he said. in the case
Of the President. judging from the report.
was that the diaphram had not been in
9ured and that there had been little leak
age or contamination from the stomach.
AT brdNtOn thought II fortunate that Grlpb
an eminent surgeon as Or. Park was at
hand- lie said he was one OF the few men
Who would at once decide upon the right
ihlng TO do, and that the haste I'm perform
ing the operation was 10 prevent the dis
Sharge or the contents of the stomach into
the abdominal cavities. a thing which
Would hasten death. He referred 10 the
autopsy upon Michael Smiley held here
[eSlerQay. Smiley was shot by his brother.
John Smiley. The bullet entered the body
st nearly the same point OF the body as il
Clu N the case or the President. Smiley's
Nounu was II anything, just a trihe lower.
~ operation was at once performed. and
Sniiey died or peritOnitis. The same ne
thousht. would have eventually happened
- the PRESIDENT II the operation had not
been performed, whereas now the greafeSt
uansel NaS rom possible Infection. which
mlSht result from the introduction into the
body or poisonous substance carried in
WITH the bullet passing through Tho cIotb
luB, anN the stomach. He tho4f~b+ fbo -
Eence OF any paralysis or partial PARALYSIS
70 the hhlDs or organs meant there was no
INJURY 10 the spinal cord. and that the MI
Jet nad HhIpubtedly, after passing through
tne stomach been detected outwardIv and
without cutting through any of The Ia ~
vessels OF organs ~ ais