Evening star., 1901-09-16

changes rather convince me that Il is not
bacterial influence. but must be due to
some organic poison"
SAYS IT LOOKS SUSPICIOUS.
DR.. McBurney Seems Inclined to
Theory of Poisoned Bullet.
A special to the New York Herald from
Stockbrtdge. Mass. Sunday, says: Dr..
Charles McBurney this afternoon was
asked to comment upon the theory that the
bullet which killed President Mckinley
was poisoned.
1T looks suspicious" he said. "In my
experience have never seen a wound in
such a condition as described in the report
Of the autopsy, made by an ordinary bull
let"
DR.. McBurney had just returned to his
summer home from Buffalo.
Il am not prepared to state positively"
continued DR.. McBurney, that the bullet
was poisoned, and until a chemical analysis
Is made We shall not know. A bullet wound
may be received in the thigh. for instance,
and provided 1t does not cut an artery or
shatter bone it will quickly heal under
ordinary conditions
I'm a wound like the Presidents where
many tissues were perforated, the suspi-
ciOus thing Is that, according to the reports,
the gangrene followed the entire path OF the
bullet. In cutting the tissue of the stomach.
for example. an ordinary wound might de-
velop gangrene to some extent where the
bullet went in, but IL understand the re-
was just as great In extent at the end OF
the wound as at it's beginning. This Is
something that no one can understand, as
sum!ng that the bullet was an ordinary
one."
Presidents Wound Difficult.
''Supposing the presence of gangrene had
been discovered before the condition Of the
President assumed such a serious phase,
could his life have been saved?''
"One way to treat conditions like this.
replied DR.. McBurney, would be to lay
open the whole wound and cut out the dis
eaSed tissue wound like the Presidents.
involving SO many different tissues. could
hardly be treated in this way, for after
cutting away part of the stomach, a
part of the abdomen and part of the other
tissues involved what would there have
been left? You cannot apply chemical
agents to wounds like that"
DR.. McBurney said that the people must
wait for the chemical analysis of the bull
lets remaining in the assassin's revolver.
for 1t will take time to examine them. He
thinks that If poison was used 1t was
small quantity. and the chemists who an
alyze them will nave the handicap of not
knowing exactly what sort Of poison they
are looking for.
There has been comment in some quar-
ters az to the fact that DR.. McBurney did
not Stgn the maj statement maue Dy the
physi clans who attended the President. He
stated today that he was obliged to leave
Buffalo before the autopsy was concluded,
and that he was present only at the pre-
liminary and superficial examination.
Physicians Were Harmonious.
DR.. McBurney stated that the most per-
feet harmony existed between the surgeons
and physicians at work in Buffalo. Before
he was called in consultation to Buffalo, he
stated the newspaper accounts showed that
the surgeons who operated on the President
had done a most excellent piece of work.
when l reached Buffalo," he said, Il
found this was So The operation was per-
fectly and beautifully done. The physi-
clans showed cleaTnesS of decision that
was admirable. The gravity and RESPONSE
bilities of the situation brought out the
best in every man. The surgical operation
was we'll DONE The autopsy showed that.
II would throw out as having no bearing
on the death of the President the injury 10
the kidney, which was superficial. ana the
Injury to the pancreaS. This latter injury
could not have been serious, as the autopsy
showed that there had been no considerable
escape of the pancreatic fluid.
1t was suggested to DR.. McBurney that IL
was thought strange in some quarters that
the physicians should have issued bulletins
of such an encouraging nature In view OF
the sudden change and subsequent deatn
of the distinguished patient He explalleu
this by saving that there were so many
favorable symptoms in the Presidents con-
dition up to the time of his collapse that
hope beat high The rapid action OF the
pulse was really the only unfavorable symp-
tom up to a certain point, and In all other
WAYS the President appeared to be doing
we'll Dr. McBurney Is convinced that an
that modern surgical and medical skin
could do was done to save the President
life. and he paid high tribute to the men
who had active charge Of the case