The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-07
TEE PRESIDENTS WOUNDS
Surgeons Discuss Mr. McKinley's
Chances Of Recovery.

Colonel ForyvoOd, oG the Army, and
DR. Wyman. of the Marine Hospital
Service. Observation-Disclosures the
DaEEcr-Dr- WoodwGrd's Views
Washington physicians and surgeons
are displaying The keenest professional in
terest in The condition of the President
Bulletins telling OF the rise and fan Of
temperature. Of the respiration. of rest
lCssness. and inability TO take nourish-
ment are closely scanned by local medical
men Through the medium Of the news
papers they are endeavoring to keep close
Iy in touch with the case. As a rule their
opinions are optimistic.
Col. W. r. Forwood. Acting Surgeon
General Of the Army, thinks that the
Presidents chances for recovery are
about ten TO one. When seen by a Times
reporter this morning he had Just COM
pIeted a rough diagram Of the region Of
the body affected by the wounds. He said
he had known Of many cases similar to
that Of the President where there had
been entire recovery. The second bullet,
which inflicted the serious wound, said
the colonel. picking up the diagram and
indicating a spot about five inches below
the left nipple and an inch and a half 20
the left of the median line struck here
1t is the safest place a bullet could strike
in all he surrounding region. a little
higher IL would have struck the heart.
or the aorta. which would have caused
death; lower and it would have lacer-
ated the abdomen and the irtestines,
far as I can learn the bullet made
small, clean hole, penetrated both sides
Of the stomach, and cannot be found. In
all probability it is lodged in the muscles
Of the back Il evidently did not pierce
the diaphragm
THE principal danger. / think. is that
which may arise Erom Inflammation. This
may be caused by bits of food in the
stomach. which Will affect the sncision
made in the operation. The President had
evidently dined long enough before the
shooting to have allowed the process Of
digestion to be well under way Then
too. before the wound was seWed up as
much as could be reached in the stomach
Was taken up with gaUZe.
If the bullet is lodged in the muscles
~ the back. il viii probably be allowed
to remain there It can do little harm
The Presidents excellent physical con-
dition and his strong constitution VIII be
great factors in the present emergency
Every ounce Of strength viii be called
upon but ! feel that there is every chance
that he viii recover.
Surgeon General Wyman, Of the L. s.
Marine Hospital Service. is investigating
the literature OF that department for rec
ords of cases similar 10 that Of the Presi-
dent BasiuE his opinion on accounts OF
the press he this morning stated that the
greatest danger would result from possi-
bic peritOnitIs. Blood poisoning some
times sets in in such cases, but this. he
said. was not anticipated. Surgeon Gen
eral Wymau expressed the highest opln-
ion Of Dr. Roosevelt Park and the other
physicians who are at present attending
the Chief Executive DR. Eugene Wanbin.
who is also ar the Presidents bedside, is
one of the physicians connected with the
Marine Hospital Service
Dr. William G. Woodward Health Off
Ger Of the District, expressed the opinion,
formed from the newspaper reports. that
up 20 the present time everything is pro-
crossing favorably and that the chances
are greatly in favor Of the Presidents
restoration TO health
Dr. Woodward stated that in an abdom-
inal wound there are certain sNigeucies
which may arise to endanger the life of
the. person so wounded. He spoke Of the
dangers Of internal hem0rrhage Of inju-
~ TO the spinal region, and Of sepsis. DR..
Woodward thought that the only thing
to fear in the case Of the President was
from sepsis or blood poisoning. He was
Of the opinion that danger from the other
conditions. including nervous shock. had
been eliminated
DR.. Woodward explained that the bull
LEI "a passing through the clothing and
through the stomach Of the President
would inevitably carry with IL certain
foreign matters or germs from which
scpsis would be conveyed TO the perit0-
ueum. The amount Of such matter might
be- small. and in that case he said that
the danger would be- Iessened. In case the
amount of sepsis carried into the body
with the bullet should bc somewhat large
ne statoC that the result To De looked for
would be what is known as ptrit1nitis. or
Inflammation involving tho greater part
! of the peritoneum- This. ne said. was
/ very dangerous condition and quite gen
orally proved fatal DR.. Woodward stat
/ "a that the President was fortunate in be-
! ing attended by DR. Park. possibly the
most eminent surgeon in the United
States. and best able 90 treat the patient
should this dreaded complication arise
IL was explained that the symptoms OF
I p,ritouitis would show themselves with
! iu period from tweEty-1our
hours To- three days after
the shot was fired. These symptoms. he
said would be- wei defined and those in
attendance would not long ue loft in
doubt as 90 the condition OF their patient.
should this complication arise Generally.
he said. there you'd Doe chilIs. grrat pain.
i fever. and other Indications significant
I To- the surgeon.
DR. Woodward said that the fever mani
| tested early this morning was due prob
ably to nervousness and was not. he
thought. "a precursor of sepsis. There
would bc naturally. he thought q reaction
/ iu the Presidents condition which would
show itself by these symptoms. but he
thought that there could Doe no definite iu-
/ dicItiOus of possible peritonius before to-
night.
The Health Officer is Of the opinion that
the holding Of the weapon near TO the
/ President whereby the bullet passed
! through the tissues. making "a small pune
! ture was "a fortunate circumstance. pro-
viding ne had to De shot. He thought the
! effects of the wounds would bee felt less
| than they would have been had the bull
/ lets been partially spent.
CHINESE PROTOCOL SIGNED.
/ Agreement with the Powers Com
pIeted nt PeL,in-
I