The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-18

ton into the simultaneous tissues. On
the eighth day the condition of the Presi-
dent was described as very serious, as
he did not respond to stimulation.
Stimulants and injections Of salt So
luton, coffee, and broth were given,
but without much effect. At o'clock
oxygen was given and continued for
some hours. At $50 the President
was restless, at 10 o'clock p. m. he lost
consciousness and continued to sink
until at 2.15 o'clock a. m, on Sept. IA
In speaking of the criticism that
Roentgen rays should have been used
to locate the bullet, DR.. Mann says in
his report
1--WE were often asked why, after the
operation, we did not use the X-ray to
find the bullet. In the first place, there
were at no time any signs that the bull
let was doing harm. To have used the
X-ray simply to have satisfied our Gu
riosity would not have been warranta-
BILE, as 1t would have greatly disturbed
and annoyed the patient and would
have subjected him also to certain
risk. Had there been signs of abscess
formation then the X-rays could and
would have been used"
Dr. Gaylord's report of the autopsy
is lengthy and detailed. Nothing of
Importance was noticed about the
wound on the chest caused by the first
shot except that the area of skin at
fected was found to be discolored,
greenish yellow and notified and that
there was a hemorrhage into the fat
under the skin beneath this area. me
abdominal wound showed no evideS~ss
of necrosis or sloughing. No inflam-
nation of the peritoneum was found.
The wound in the front wall of the
stomach was found "held intact by silk
sutures" but the area of stomach wall
around it was discolored, grayish green,
and easily torn. The area around the
wound on the posterior wall of the
stomach was also of a dull gray Color
but the sutures held the wound intact.
Behind the latter wound there was
spot of discoloration, which showed that
the sloughing process had gone back
wards in the track of the bullet
The gangrenous cavity found behind
the stomach involved the pancreas and
the surrounding loose tissues, the bot
tom of the blind pocket being formed by
the upper end of the left kidney which
was found to be lacerated at that point
to the extent of about two centimetres.
The track of the bullet was then
traced through gangrenous tissue inthe
fat behind the kidney to the muscles
of the back we'll of the abdomen; the
direction or the bullet, however, could
not be traced any further. The search
for the bullet was most thorough and
painstaking, but in spite of all efforts,
it could not be found, and the autopsy
had to be discontinued because the time
allotted to it by the family Of the late
president had already been exceeded.
DR.. Gaylord adds:
"As we were satisfied that nothing
could be gained by locating the bullet,
which had set UP no reaction, search
for it was discontinued.
Examination of the heart muscle
showed that it was affected with we'll
marked fatty degeneration and in
some places the muscle fibres showed
groups of dark-brown granules, dem
| onstrating a diseased condition of the
cardiac muscle.
DIR. Gaylord believes that the repair
to the stomach wounds had been effec-
tive and that the gangrene around
, these wounds does not seem to have
been the result of any Well-deflned
cause. He attributes the gangrenous
condition of the tissues solely to low
cred vitality in the parts The appear
anee of the gangrenous tissues shows
that the gangrene took place shortly
before death.
In speaking of the causatfon of the
cavity behind the stomach, he says thai
it must largely be attributed to the ac-
! ton of the missile. 1t may have re-
| suited from the rotation of a nearly
| spent ball, or from the simple concus-
sion of the bullet, as 1t passed into the
soft tissues. The injury to the PAN
creas, producing a cavity within 1t, oc-
cured during the passage of the bull
let, because the cavity was found wall
| ed off by fibrin in an advanced stage
of organization. There was no leakings
of pancreatic fluid into the surround
ing tissues. The extensive gangrene of
the paflcreas seems to have been an
important factor in the case, though
il had never been shown how much
of this organ must be destroyed to
cause death. The wound in
the kidney is Of no import
ance except as showing the
track of the bullet. The diseased con-
dition of the heart muscles shows why
the pulse was so frequent and why it
did not respond to stimulation at the
critical time
The report of the bacteriologist is
largely what the doctors call Mega
tive" l. e., it contains rather the abb
sence of germs than their presence.
A culture taken from the wound dur
ing life showed several varieties of
germs, but such a showing is rather
expected in such cases. There were
present two of the ordinary germs of
suppuration. and one gasforming germ
of unknown identity. AS the result of
an examination of various tissues and
fluids removed postportem in very
small supplies Or. Matzinger concludes
that THE absence Of known pathogenic
bacteria, particularly In the gangren-
Gus cavity, warrant the conclusion that
bacterial infection was not a factor in
the production of the condition found
in the autopsy"
A chemical analysis by DR.. Hill of
the remaining bullets and of the con-
tents of the cartridge chambers in the
murders pistol showed that there was
no poisonous material, thus disposing
of the theory Of a poisoned bullet