Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-18
LATE PRESIDENTS SURGEONS
issue Detailed Report on the Mounds and
Thcir Treatment.

Medical Journal, for SATURDAY. OCT 10
viii contain the full official report of
the surgeons who attended the late
President William Mckinley in Buff
faio. The report contains upwards of
1900 words and declares that there
never under like circumstances was a
more harmonious and better agreed
band Of consultants." thus SETTING
aside rumors of disagreement among
the attending physicians and surgeons
The report describes the events i'm.
mediately following the shooting and
then follows a description Of The opera
ton in all its technical minutae. The
utmost care Was used to prevent infcc-
ton of the abdominal cavity and Of the
wound, by the most approved modern
methods of surgical cleanliness. The
wounds in the stomach were surtured
with silk. using double rows of stitches
SO arranged that the greatest possible
security was given to the sutured
spots.
In ms comments on the report Of the
operation DR.. Mann particularly en-
phasized the disadvantages under
wounds in the stomach, with the fail
ing light of Septemher afternoon.
Speaking OF the search for the bullet
the report says: The operation on the
stomach now being finished. DR.. Mann
introduced his arm so as to palpitato
carefully all the deep structures behind
the stomach. No trace Of the bullet
or of the further track OF the bullet
could be found. AS the introduction OF
the hand in this way seemed to have
bad influence on the Presidents pulse
prolonged search for further injury
done by the bullet or for the bullet
itself, was dessted from" Further
search might have caused the death
Of the patient upon the operating table.
At the close Of the operation the sur
geons present unanimously assured DR..
Mann in answer to his questions, that
they We're perfectly satisfied that
everything that was possible had been
done and that they had no further
suggestions TO make. 1t was also de-
cided not to introduce any CauZe or
tubes into the abdomen for drainage
and this was not necessary. but the
thar no drainage could take place nat
urally.
on the fifth day. Sept. 10th. took place
the much discussed removal of stitches
from the wound in the abdominal wall
The report says:
IN the evening the dressings We're
examined and, as there was consider
able staining from the discharges. il
was thought best to remove -four
stitches and to separate the edges Of
the wound. \ little slough was OBJ
served nsar the buBet track. covering A
space nearly an inch wide. the thick
ness of the flaps. The suppuration
seemed to extend down to the muscle. :
The remainde of the wound looked
healthy and it was thought that the in
lection was due to the bullet or 10 Il
piece of clothing which had been car
ried into the wound. The wound was
then recessed and on the following day
the patients condition was very much
improved.
The findings at the autopsy. as Wei
as the developments of the case during
the last days exclude all possibility Of
absolute injury to the stomach by pre-
mature giving of solid food AS was al
legged ut the time when unfaVorable
SYMPTOMS came on after change tn
solid. on the fifth day tn" President
slipped hot water. on the sixth he had
beef Juice the first food taken 10y
mouth since the operation. In the
mean time nutritive enemaS We're con-
tinued but We're not well retained. At
$50 in the morning of the seventh day
he was allowed chicken broth. very
small piece Of toast and Il small cup of
coffee. He did not care for the toast
and ate scarcely any of it.
The wound had in the meantime been
doing VERY well and had been dressed
daily after the removal Of the stitches
and the sloughing tissue. The Presi-
dent seemed at his best and favorable
result was not confidently predicted.
There was no sign of blood poisoning
or of inflammation of the peritoneum.
The only alarming symptom was his
rapid pulse. and as it had been of fair
N good quality right along the sur
gcons did not attribute very great M
portancc to this sign. On the seventh
day towards noon. the pulse began to
grow weaker. Stimulants were given
and the food was discontinued. while
castor oil and an enema of oXgail were
given to move the bowels. At midnight
there was some Improvement II the
ruIsa after an injection OF salt Solu-
ton into the simultaneous tissues.
on tha eighth day the condition of
the President was described as very
serious. as he did not respond 10
stimulation. Stimulants and injections
of salt solution. coffee and broth We're
given bur without much effect At
o'clock. oxygen was given and con-
tin,1ed for some hours. At 60 the
President was restless. at 10 7. NJ. ne
lost consciousness and continued to
sink until he died. at 20 4. NJ, sept
II.
In sreaking of the criticism that
poent-en RAYS should have been useu
tn locate the bullet. DR.. Mann says:
we were often asked why, after the
we did not use the A-fay
to find tho bullet. In the hrst pace
t,.era ,>art at no tim" any signs that
The bullet was doing harm 1" nave
used the \-ray simply 10 have salts
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