The Washington times., 1901-10-27
M'KINLBY CASE REVIEWED
Official Record of the Late Presi.
dents Illness Made Public.

Many Noteworthy Features I'm the
Report of DIR. y. VI. RiNey-Com-
Dient ON Heart Action and the Bull
let Wonud-Notes of the vigil.
The late President McKinley's struggle
for life after being struck down by the
assassn's bullet is exhaustively described
in the official medical and surgical report
by DIR. Presley NJ. Rixey, medical in
spector. United States Navy, made pub
lie yesterday. The report goes into every
detail Of the changing condition and in
cident symptoms of the distinguished pa
tient, ana specifies the varied methods of
treatment, to the extreme limits of medi-
cal science, employed in the case. The
report is issued as a special appendix to
the annual report of The Surgeon Cen
eral of the Navy.
The final summary of the case is made
by Dr. Rixey in the following words:
'.The cause of the death of the President
has been made plain by the autopsy. 1t
was due primarily 70 a gunshot wound
of Il .S2-calibre bullet fired at close range,
devitalizing the tissues Immediately sur
rounding its track, SO that gangrene of
those parts injured-involving the stom-
ach, pancreas. kidney, and other tissues
followed. The toxic products from these
devitalized tissues were absorbed, and
with the degenerated condition of the
muscular tissue Of the heart caused
death, the final symptoms being those of
exhaustion"
The notes of the autopsy contain two
references of especial interest in view of
rumors and unofficial statements current
during the late Presidents illness. AS
opposed to the widely circulated reports
suggesting at various times a weak,
larged. and tobacco heart. DR.. RiXeys
report says: There is evidence of
organic diseases in any organ examined
The anatomical diagnosis made by DR..
Gaylord and included in the report, states,
however. that ragments of heart muscle
removed and examined in a fresh state
exhibited "a well-defined fatty degenera-
tion of the muscle fibres'' Again he says:
THE changes in the heart indicate that
the condition of this organ was an i'm
portaut factor.
Regarding the possible contamination Of
the wound by a poisoned bullet, the re-
port gives the following extract from DR..
Matzingers chemical and meteorological
examination: There was no bacterial or
chemical source of poison found on either
cartridge or weapon
In a later report the same physician
adds that the clinical examinations Of the
empty shells and cartridges were mega
tive. and concludes by saying; THE alb
sence of known pathogenic bacteria, par
ticularly in the necrotic cavity, warrants
the conclusion that bacterial infection
was not factor in the produetioi of the |
conditions found at the autopsy
The Certificate of De.th.
The official report of death. stating that |
President McKinley's injury was incurred |
''in the line Of duty" presents the fol- !
lowing facts:
Name Of deceased; William McKin-
ley: office. President Of the United
States; date of death September H. /
1901: time Of death, 2:I5 a. m; place of
death. ll6S Delaware Avenue, Buffalo.
y. Y: date OF burial September 10.
1901; place OF burial. Canton. Ohio;
cause Of death, gangrene of both walls
of stomach and pancreas following
gunshot wound.
4 hereby certify that William Nc
Kiniey. President of the United States,
died while at Buffalo. y. Y, as set
forth in the records of his case, as fol-
lows:
The President was holding a public
reception at the Academy of Music, |
Pan-American Exposition. Buffalo. N
Y. on September g. 1851 and whilst |
shaking hands with the people was |
shot at i:07 p. m. through the stom-
ach, by Leon F. Czolgosz.
There is good evidence that the dis
ease (or injury causing death was in
line Of duty. the facts being as fol-
lows: The President was shot by an
assassin whilst receiving the people"
To a complete understanding of the re-
port it is well to state that the normal 4
pulse of the average healthy adult varies |
from 20 to y beats per minute, and respi-
ration IS to % The abbrevistions used
are: Cm.. ceatimetre, grn., gram; C. c.,
cubic centimetre.
The report chronicles the developments
of each day in the most minute manner
The description of the operation shows