Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-24
WHAT DID KILL M'KINLEY?
81 Do Notiknow," Said DR.. Mann
to Other Doctors.
HIS DETAILS OF THE TREATMENT
Everything Done That Was
Possible to be Done.
Pancreatic Juice Played No Part In the
Death, Or. Mynter Adds, Because It Was
Automatically Impossible for the PAN
creas TO Have Been lnjured-.No Bacteria
Found. t


New York sun, Oct 10th.
The interest OF the members ant
guests Of the Medical Society of the
State of New York, which began it,
semi annual meeting in the New Yorl
Academy OF Medicine In West Forty
third street yesterday morning, centred
10 addresses made by DIR. Matthew ID.
Mann and DR.. Herman Mynter oil
Butfalo, at the afternoon session. DR..
Mann, assisted by DIR. Myuter and
others, operated upon President McIiin
| ey Immediately after he was shoe or
September 9Th, and they were constantly
10 attendancsupon him until his death.
Their speeches yesterday were the more
Interesting because the attending physi.
clans and surgeons have SO far refused
to make known the details of the officia
report prepared by DIR. Mann and signed
by DR.. +. M. Rixey, the late Presi
dents personal physician, and Drs.
Mann, Park, Mynter, Wasdin, Stock ton
and McBurney. The report, which il
10, 600 words long, or about 10 columns
of The San, will be made public
through tho medium of the medical
press next Saturday.
President Henry L. Eisner of syria
cuse called the afternoon meeting to
order in Hosack Hall Of the Academy
OF Medicine. The room was crowded,
more than three hundred physicians,
Including many women, being present.
DIR. Mann, the proof sheets of the
| Official report 10 his hand, at once began
his address, This is q summary OF
what he said:
81 have hero the detailed repott OF
the shooting OF the President, of his
subsequent removal to the Emerge ncy
Hospital on the Exposition grounds,
and OF his condition at that tine.
shall not, however, attempt TO read all
Of this TO you; it would take too long
Twill begin by describing the opera
ton itself. +
THE President took the ether yery
we'll. We we're greatly aided by an ex-
oellent operating table which the hos.
pital contained. The exposure Of the
thoracic and abdominal surfaces showed
the existence OF two bullet wounds. The
first bullet really struck between the
second and third ribs, and If it had
not glanced from the edge Of one Of the
ribs death would have resulted in few
moments.
The second wound was 10 the left
hypochondriac region. 1t was made by
bullet from a 32-calibre revolver. BY
tfs passing OF n probe 1t was found that
the bullet had entered the abdomen.
Inc nbdominal surface was cal eli uliy
shaved and washed with dilute solu.
tion OF alcohol, and the incision for
the laporotomy was made in the line of
the bullet wound and in the long axis
OF the body. The stomach was drawn
forward toto the opening. 1t was found
that the bullet had perforated the in
leiior wall OF the stomach. The open
iug was slightly enlarged, and il was
discovered that the stomach was half
tilled with partially digested food, The
opening was then closed by double
row Of Czerny Lembert sutures,
Some difficulty was experienced in
exsmining the posterior wall of the
stomach. The light was bad, 1t was
almost shutdown, and although the rays
OF the sun sntered the room they did
not rest upon the operating table. We
were also hampered in that no retract..
ors were at hand with which to hold
apart the edges of the abdominal open.
ing.
should mention here that the bullet
had carried before it fragment of
cloth, which we found and removed,
The wound in the posterior wall OF
the stomach was found and closed with
the Ozerny .Lembert susure. Before
closing the surface wound / asked those
about me whether or not they were
satisfied with the surg ical procedure
and whether thsy had any suggestions
to make. They we're all satisfied that
every thing possible had been done. The
question OF drainage then arose. II was
finally conceded that inasmuoh as there
had been no bleeding or leakage, it was
not advisable to establish drainage.
Accordingly. after washing out the
cavity with q warm saline solution the
surface wound was closed and the usual
pads and handapes applied. From the
beginning Of the administration of the
anasthotic until its disountinuanoe a
period OF exactly one minute and 81
seconds elapsed.
Let me say here that / publicly
thank my colleague, DIR. Mynter, for
his devotion and helpful Judgment in
the case, and for hi, readiness TO snoul-
DER with me the responsibility OF the
operation. DR.. Rixey. the Presidents
personal physician, and Drs. PARK ard
Wasdin were towers of strength through
out the ensuing week. Dr. CHARLES "a.
STOCKTON was called in during the last
thee days as a special oopsultine
physician, and DR.. Charles McBurne1
OF this city also advised with u.s. To
them we owe our thanks Let me saw
also that Under similar circumstances I
have never known Of more harmoni-
Gus band OF consultHnts. Following
the operation the President was re-.
moved to the Milburn residence, where
the NEST loving care and attention that
could surround human being was
bestowed uIon him.
During the first days the President
improved, and let me soy that the
bulletins issued by Secretary (isorqe
y. Cortelyou were the frApkest sxpres
aions OF the opinions OF the attending
physicians and surgeons. Mr., MoKin.
ley continued to improve until the
seventh day, and there was great hone.
fulness. There was slight sloupbfpp
Of the external wound on the Tuesday
following the shooting. 1t seemed as
though the trouble, which was very
slight. might extend as far down as the
abdominal muscles, but not through
70 the abdominal cavity. Several of
tne STITCHES were therefore removed,
and the wound was washed out with
hydrogen dioxide and redressed. We
concluded that this slight disturbance
NAG peen caused by the entrance CT the
fragment Of cloth.
FOLLOWING this the blood count was
taken. 1t revealed nothing to Indicate
that q change for the worse was immi-
nent. The patient contin ued to improve.
the bowels moved naturally and food
was administered by the mouth. The
prospects we're of the brightest. Never
theless, on the seventh day there was a
change for the worse. The downward