Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-24
REPORT ON THE AUTOPSY.

DIR. Harvey r. Gaylord e report of
the autopsy, which is printed in the
Medical Journa! OF lastweelS, 10 lengthy
and detiiltd. Nothing OF importance
was noticed about the wound on the
cheat caused by the frat shot, exeept
that the area Of skin affected was found
to be discolored, greenish yellow and
notified, and that there was helnor.
rhage into the fat under II q skin
beneath this area. The abdominal
wound showed no evidences of necrosis
or slouKhing. No inflammation of the
peritonium 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 dio-
oolored, grayish green and easily torn.
The area around the wound on the
posterior wall Of the stomach was also
OF dull gray color, but the eutures
held the wound intact. Behind the
latter wound there was spot of dis
color alton, which showed that the
sloughing process had gone backwards
In the track of the bullet.
The ganRrenous 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 Iacarated at that
point to the extent OF about two cent?
meters. ~"
The track Of thu bullet was then
traced through gangrenous tissue in the
fat behind the kidney to the muscles
of the back wall OF the abdomen; the
direction Of the bullet, however, could
not be traced any further. The search
for the bullet was must thorough and
painstskine, but in spite Of all efforts
Il could not be found, and the autopsy
had to be discontinued because the
time allotted to IT by the family of the
late Preei lent had already been ex-
oeeded. DR.. Gaylord adds:
As we were satisfied that nothing
could be gained by locating the bullet
which had set up no reaction, search
for 1t was DISCONTINUED. -
Examination of the heart muscle
showed that it was Affected with we'll
marked fatty degeneration, and in some
places the muscle fbres showed groups
OF dark brown granules, demonstrating
diseased condition OF the cardiac
muscle.
Or: Gaylord believes that the repair
TO the stomach wounds had iieep
effective. and that the gangrene around
these wounds does not seem to have
been the result Of any we'll defined
cause. He attributes the gangrenous
condition of the tissues solely to lowered
vitality in the parts. The appearance
OF the gangrenous tissues shows that
death.
In speaking of the causation of tho
9AVIty hahin6 thn or 81 l.
II must largely be attributed 10 tbe
action Of the missile. It NAV have
resulted from the rotation Of q peurly
spent ball, or from the simple oonops.
sion OF the bullet as it passed into the
soft tissues. The injury to the panoreas,
producing cavity within II, occurred
during the passage OF the bullet. be-
cause the cavity was found walled of
by tbrin Ia an advanced stage of or.
ganization.
inere was no leakage OF pancreatic
huid into the surrounding tissues. The
extensive gangrene OF the pancreas
seems to have been an important factor
IN the case. though it had never been
shown how much OF this organ must be
destroyed to cause death. The wound
in the kidney is OF no Importance, az
cept as showing the track OF the bullet.
The diseased condition of the heart
muscles shows why the pu,ss was so
frequent and why it did not respond 10
stimulation at the critical time.
The report OF the baoteriologist is
largely what the doctors call mega.
tive"-that Is ii CONFORMS rather the
absence of germ than their presence.
culture taken from the wound
during life showed sevArAl varieties of
germs, but such a showing IL rather
expected in such casea There were
present two Of the ordinary germs Of
suppuration and one gas forming germ
OF unknown identity. AS the result of
an examination Of various tissues and
duids removed after death in very small
supplies, Dr. Matsinger concludes that
1.-THE absence of known pathoeepio bac'
terra, particularly in the ganRrenous
cavity. warrants the conclusion that
bacteria infection was not a factor IL