The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-10
FOREIGN DOCTORS
GIVE OPINIONS
They Think the President S
Changes Good.
TWO FRENCH PHYSICIANS
All Depend on the Promptness of
Medical Aid,
THE DANGER FROM GUNSHOT WOUNDS
Hope Of the Presidents Recovery Will b. In
creased by the Opinions OF the Two
Great ST Surgical Auhori-
tits Of France

tits Of france
The New York Herald of yesterday
prints the opinions of Frances two great
est surgical authorities on the Presidents
condition.
DR.. Albert Robin cites statistics and
estimates the Presidents chances of re-
coyery as three out of five, while Dr.
Dieulafoy, of the Hotel Dieu, puts the
chances Of recovery at three out of four.
The opinions of these men of world wide
reputation are intensely interesting and
closely concur with the views of Dr.
Charles McBurney, DR.. George F. Shrady
and other distinguished American sur
geons.
al of them lay special stress upon the
Importance in such wounds of speedily
operating to close the perforations of
the stomach. Where surgical aid is given
within a few FGurs the patients chances
OF recovery are regarded as good. In
President McKirlev's case, surgical aid
came with remarkable swiftness, as he
was on the operating table within fifteen
minutes after the would-be assassin S
shots were fired.
nr. Georges Dieulafoy, Clinical Profess
so7 of Paris at the Hotel Dieu Hospital
thinks the Presidents recovery is certain.
He said:
From the dispatches published in the
Paris Herald it is clear that surgeons
were Immediately called in and took the
proper course in the case of bullet en-
tering the abdominal cavity and pene-
trating the walls of the stomach. The
only rational method for a surgeon is to
open the abdomen, close the wound in the
stomach and cleanse the peritoneum. This
was apparently done, and promptly done.
President McKinleys case may best
DE compared to that of patient suffering
from what is called a perforatng ulcer of
the stomach. In such cases a simple
stomachal ulcer eats it's way through the
stomach until the wall suddenly bursts.
Fearful pain ensues, and the contents of
the stomach, escape into the peritoneum.
All the symptoms Of peritouitis ensue.
Our surgical statistics show, however.
that if an energetic surgeon is called i'm
mediatelv and the operation | have pre-
vicusly referred to is performed forth
with the PATIENT RECEIVERS in three cases
out of four.
''It must of course be understood that
a guiding opinion on an individual case
tdl OuIY Dc eApItSSCI WHICH one Is III
possession of the full data / assume
that in Mr.. McKinley's case the opera ton
was duly performed within a few hours.
This being so, Mr. Mckinley is now in
the condition of patient who is suffer-
ing from perforating ulcer of the stom-
ach and has been operated upon directly
after the ulcer has burst. AS | said
before, recovery follows in such cases
three timoS ~. If the opera
tion is not entirely successful pcritonitis
ensues. When this happens the patient
generally succumbs
Il may go further and say that in Mr..
McI<inleys case the conditions are even
more favorable than in the case of an
ulceral perforation of the stomach. In
the latter case the stomach is already
affected by conditions arising from ulcer
alton of the stomach. Mr. Mckinley on
the other hand has the advantage of be-
ing possessed of sound stomach. e.,
one not previously affected by interior
liberation
Moreover, gunshot wounds of the stom-
ach of which / have seen many, are dis
tinguished by peculiar characteristics I
have seen wounds in which the stomach
has been perforated, but has Immediately
tents to escape into the abdominal cavity.
The retractibilty of a healthy stomach
is remarkable.
president McKinley's recovery depends
on the answer to the following question
If the bullet perforated the stomach was
the abdomen opened within a few hours
and were the results of the perforation
of the stomach obliterated under favor
abel conditions? If the answer is in the
affirmative, Mr.. McKinley's recovery is
to be expected and may even be said to
be almost certain.
''The fact that the bullet remains
lodged in the muscles of the back is
without Importance. Its presence there
pulsations transmitted by cable afford
no light enabling us to form scientific
judgment. The whole problem resides in
the speedy performance of the operation
under favorable conditions
Dr. Albert Robin, the eminent author
ity of the Paris Hospital de la Pitie, SAID: :
Nobody can give definite answer, but
the possibilities may be ELECTED by COM
parison with analogous cases of gunshot
wounds.
"A stomschal wound from firearms of
fers four dangers.
First, there may be traumatic shock.
causing death within few hours
Next comes the danger of hemorrhage,
which is often fatal.
Third, there may be primitive periton-
tits, caused by the overflow of the con-
tents of the stomach into the peritoneum.