New-York tribune., 1901-09-08
DIR. LEE ON THE WOUNDS.
Continued from first page.
the Tribune reporter, do you think the Presi-
dent has improved since the operation?
Il do not was the answer.


the Tribune reporter, 'do you think the Presi-
dent has improved since the operation
Il do not" was the answer.
What leads you to that opinion?'
The Presidents high temperature" was the
+ reply. 'I learn this afternoon that it is 1o2
This would indicate a dangerous condition,
"It has been said that crisis has been
reached"
There has been no crisis yet Because of the
character of the wound. the recovery or the de-
cline is gradual, II will take time to determine
what will be the ultimate results of the wound" "
rs there not danger of pertonitisT
There IL always danger OF peritonitis Whefe
there is a perforaton of the neritoneum. This
membrane lines the abdominal cavity, but It's
perforation does not necessarily imply perito-
nitis, which is simply the Inflammation OF this
| tissue. Nevertheless. there are several reasons
why should fear peritonitis in the case of the
Presidents wound"
What are your reasons. doctor?"
DIR. Lee paused minute before he made an
answer. Then he said:
"In the first place. the contents of the stom-
ach oozed out into the peritoneal cavity Sec
ond. the bullet carried with it a part of the
Presidents clothing; third the bullet is OF lead.
which is a poison of itself and fourth. il was
an anarchists bullet. which may have been
tainted with special poison to insure death"
THE COURSE OF THE BULLET.
What was the course OF the bullet?'
"As far as could be determined II went
straight through the body"
Where do you think 1t has lodged?"
Either in the muscles of the back. in which
case ii IS not far below the shoulderblade. or 1t
| has dropped down into the abdominal cavity"
Gould it not have -Veered to the right sufi-
ciently TO have struck -the-vertebra?" ?"
Il do not believe The President showed no
sign of paralysis. which he would have done if
the spinal cord had been affected"
Here DR. Lee stOpp1d a moment as IL think
+ ing of something important which he had al
most forgotten. Then he said suddenly:
: Il was thinking of President Garfelds
wound"
The bullet was not found which caused his
death. Q" asked the reporter.
1T was found. but only in a post-mort ex-
animation. II had broken into the vertebra.
and was discovered lodged against the spinal
cord. II these days OF surgery it would have
been removed by incision into the back.
That the advice Of DR.. ]. Marion Sims at
the time. believe. but the operation con-
sidered too dangerous
DO you consider the inability to find the bull
let as fatal?"
Il do not. 1t does not make much diff
ference now about the bullet Men have been
known to live for years with bullets in them.
The bullet of Czolgosz has done the worst Of it's
work already.
NO CRISIS IN SUCH A CASE.
will not the crisis in the Presidents condi-
tion be reached soon?"
"As I have said before there is no crisis in
such a case"
Here DR. Lee stopped for moment. II he
dreaded TO say II. and then he added:
Nevertheless. IL the Presidents temperature
does not go down during the next forty-eight
hours the outcome will be still more uncer-
tain"
DR.. Lee started last night for Buffalo. where
he expects To call at Mr. Mlburn's home and
learn Of President McKinley's condition. He
plans 10 leave Buffalo at o'clock for ST Louis.
DR.. Edward Wallace Lee is man of powerful
physique. six feet in height, and has bushy black
hair and a mustache. Fe for many years
a physician ard surgeon in Omaha. where he
was also professor OF surgery at the Creighton
Medical College. In lSiS he made the medl-
cal director Of the Omaha Exposition He has
made his home in St Louis since 1899 There
he Is the consulting surgeon in the City and
Women's hospitals.