The daily sentinel., 1901-09-20
MEDICAL MAN
Not Perfect Being. ....Case Of the
Late President Discussed by
the New York Medical
Journal.

New York, Sept. 19.-The forthcom-
4, ing edition of the Now York Medical
Journal will discuss the'case Of the late
President Mckinley in a lengthy article.
1t will say:
"It is q melancholy consolation to know
that the fatal termination OF President
McKinley's case was not in the slightest
degree due to any omission to give him
the full benefit Of all the present re-
sources Of our art. and there is nothing
humiliatinR in the fact that the favora-
BILE prognosis, which for five or six days
seemed justified, should have finally
proved fallacious.
at is expected that an official report
of the case will be given to the profes.
sion in the course OF short time. Pend
| ing the issue of the report, let us briefly
review the case AT the time Of his as
sassination President Mckinley probably
WAS in better physical condition than
most mon of his age who lead q seden-
tary life. So far as is known, he was
free from all organic disease, though his
vitality may have been somewhat i'm
paired oy the fearful mental strain to
which the duties Of his Office and it's re.
spon sibilities and anxieties had long sub
jected him.
"He was suddenly cut down by cruel
wound, but he bore it bravely, and there
was little Of the condition known as
shock. This freedom from shock was
correctly interpreted as showing that no
idsrable internal hemorrhage was
going on. se
"Without delay he was taken to we'll
equipped hospital and attended by sur
geons Of world wide reputation ana Of
vast experience. The operation iteelf
was perfoImed by an exceedingly capa-
BILE gynecologist, who was assisted by
equally capable general surgeons.
ut is perfectly certain that there was
no technical fault in the operation and
it may be said with equal positiveness,
that it would haue verged on madness to
prolong the search for the bullet after it
had been ascertained that it had not in
dicted any very grave injury beyond that
of the Observation-Disclosures, that is to
say, within the Limitations Of warranta-
BILE efforts.
"The operation having been finished
without seriously taxing the distinguish
ed patients vital powers. there followed
at least five days of freedom from serious
symptoms. This We say with full ap
probation OF the fact that the record OF
the pulse and respiration seemed omin-
Gus, for the high rate might have been
due to any one OF u number OF condi-
tions not in themselves OF grave import
ance The hopeful view was taken,
and quite naturally it could be 80 ex-
planned.
at is easy to be wise after the event,
and to say that in this respect the sur
geons were in error. Err, they certainly
did, as the result shows, but to err in
such way argues no incapacity or
avoidable lack Of judgment. 1t simply
| illustrates the fact that the medical man
il not perfect being.
"Gangrene was probably established
two or three days before the fatal issue
followed, but it could hardly have oc
Cured very early without giving rise to
more disquietinR phenomena than aug
mentation OF the pulse and respiration.
which, as we have said before might we'll
have been due to some unimportant
disturbance. To the wound Of the kid
ney we attribute little Importance fur
ther than arises from the fact that it
made one more traumAtic surface to
become gangrenous. There is said to
have been trifling degree OF hematura,
but not enough to indicate a very serious
renal lesion.
1.-THE case of the profoundly lamented
hero We may set down as unique in some
OF it's features. Not go much perhaps -
regards the actual traumatism inflicted
by tha bullet as with regard to the de
ferred appearance Of the gangrenous
process that blosted out his fair pros
poets Of recovery"