Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-17
|HE DOCTORS DISAGREE
Physicians Who Attended McKin.
ley Dispute as to the Presi.
dents Condition.
Statement That Ganerene Was
Noticed in Outer Wound
Denied.
McBurney Severely Criticised
by Wasdin..Impossibility Of
Recovery Admitted.

ing the autopsy, have been interviewed
These physicians, Messrs. wasdin
Park. Mynter and Mann. agree only OF
one point; that is. that by no exercise
| of surgical skill or medical! attention
could the death of Mr. MCKINLEY have
been prevented. These physicians met ir
consultation several times daily at the
Mllburn home, discussed the phases o;
the case as they We're presented from
time to time, did ali that could be done
ana now, after the autopsy, are not a
unit as to what caused the gangrene
which resulted in the presidents death.
DR.. Wasdin, at his home. in discussing
his theory, reiterated his belief that the
bullet was poisoned. He said:
1t seems impossible to me that gan
creme could have developed 10 such an
| extent as il did in the case OF Mr.. Nc
kinley without the Introduction OF for
eiSn deieterious matter.
That the sangrene was not due to
the introduction of any injurious germs
is proved by the fact that the gangrene
was absolutely localized. The ten
velopment and then spread out, affect
ing not only those parts wherein it orig
inated but going into the entire sys-
tenn.
"On Thursday it was decided to open
the exterior wound in the abdomen.
There had been some irritation there,
and we decided to find out the cause. AT
first we took out few of the stitches,
and later laid open the entire incislon,
leaving an opening in this wound FIVE
inches long and three inches deep. 1t
required no effort TO open the incision.
We Immediately found in the track of
the bullet thru the flesh and fatty tissue
that gangrene had developed. None Of
the parts other than those around the
Immediate bullet wound We're affected
We removed this affected tissue,
cleansed the wound and closed it,
When You found that gangrene ex-
listed in the surface wound, was it not
an indication that it had penetrated
deeper?n
NO, ii was not We discussed the
subject thoroughly. explored as FAR as
we could, and there was no indication
that the process had continued into the
abdominal cavity"
DR.. Roswell Park does not agree with
any of DR.. Wasdin's theories. and even
gees SO far as to disagree with him in
statements of facts. DIR. Park declared
he had been so much misquoted that he
would insist upon having his statement
reduced to writing. He wrote:
There is no reason to believe that
josson was introduced into the wounds.
The gangrene was caused by the secre-
ton of the pancreas escaping from the
wound und producing the trouble. The
pancreas was perforated by the bullet.
There was no way in which we could
determine from outward evidences that
2angrene had set in. There are no in
dictive symptoms.
is is not fact, doctor. that when
the surface wound was opened on Tues
day it was found to be affected by gan
creme. and that the affected portions
were then removed"
NO, sir. it 10 not. There was merely
an irritation, and we found nothing that
indicated the presence of gangrene."
DIR. Herman Mynter, who assisted at
the first operation, is arrayed against
DR.. Park in the statements affecting the
perforation of the pancreas, and against
Or. Wasdin and Dr. Mann as to the
pressure of gangrene on the surface
wound when it was opened on Tuesday.
He said in response to query:
No, the pancreas was not perforated.
There could have been no perforation of
the pancreas. What induced the gan
grenous process s mystery, but there
is no doubt now that Mr.. Mckinley
could not have been saved.
We did not know at any time until
the autopsy was held that gangrene had
set in. When the surface wound was
opened on Tuesday there was no indica-
ton of it. There was merely evidence
Of irritation, and nothing more"
Dr.Matthew w. Mana, who perform
ed the operation at the emergency hos
pital at the exposition grounds, said:
The only parts in the abdominal
cavity penetrated or touched by the bull
let We're the stomach walls and the top
of the kidney. Pancreas was not
touched. altho it was involved in the
lgangrenous process.
II was surprised, in fact astounded,
at the condition of the internal organs
revealed at the autopsy. In all my ex-
perience have never found organs in
such a state.
Il know of no poison which would
produce such results. Still. it is pos
sifSe that it was done, and, if DIR. Was
din so believes, there must be some
basis for the theory"
when the surface wound was open
ed on Tuesday We're there any indica-
tions of the presence of gangrene?"
There We're. Gangrene was present.
On opening the wound we found that
the bullet track was effected, but only
slightly. and the gangrene parts were
removed. There We're no Indications
that the parts in the abdominal cavity
had become effected. and we thoroughly
discussed this before closing the in
cision."
Did you share in the general feeling
that the president would surely re-
cover?"
mo, I did not When the most opti-
mistic feeling exiXsted said, and was
quoted as saying, that Mr.. Mckinley
was not Yet out of the woods"
Did the consulting staff agree with
DR.. McBurney when he, on Thursday,
stated that Mr.. Mckinley would get
we'll? Did he voice the opinion of the
staff?"
No, he did not. could not then
understand, and do not understand
now, why DR.. McBurney made that
statement. felt at the time that
wanted myself to issue a statement in
q manner to temper his. but conclud-