The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-27
HOW M'KINLEY Died
DIR. RIxEY GIVES WHOLE CASE IN
DETAIL.
HE KEPT FULL MEMORANDA.
DOCTORS HOPEFUL UNTIL ALMOST
THE LAST DAY.


Drugs Injected Into the President
the Wonder Is That He Lived
Eight Days-His System Kept
Loaded Up With Drugs-Yet the
Doctors Predicted Rapid Gonzales
cence on the Fifth Day.
Washington, Oct. 26.-"In the line of
duty, while receiving the people, was
shot by Leon F. Czolgosz," is the off,
cial statement filed with the surgeon
general of the navy by DR.. P. M.
Rixey, medical inspector, U. S. N, as
the introduction for his report upon
the wounding, illness and death of the
late President Mckinley.
The cause of death is thus stated:
"Gangrene of both walls of stomach
and pancreas, following gunshot
wound"
The report itself is remarkable for it's
exhibition in the closest possible detail
of the exact state of the patient dur
ing his mortal illness. 1t is in the
shape of ships log. almost, show
ing at intervals of a very few min
utes, sometimes single minute, rare
ly more than an hour, the PATIENTS
progress towards the end. But per-
haps the most valuable data contained
from a medical point of view is the
accurate registering of the medication
of the case-not a single morsel of
food nor a dose of medicine, or a bath
is omitted in this account. Included in
the running story at the proper inter
walls are the bulletins which were given
to the public as the case progressed.
The reports begins with an account
of the first operation at the Emergency
Hospital, Sept. 6, the two wounds be-
ing described exactly as they have been
treated in the preceding medical re-
ports. DR.. Rixey, stating that all the
physicians present agreed to immediate
laparotomy, makes his first entry at
$50 p. M, when DR.. Mann made
vertical incision, passing through the
wound, and found at the very begin
ming a piece of cloth carried in by ehe
bullet. Eight minutes later strychnine
was administered hypodermically, Some
time after that brandy was admins
tered in the same manner. and then
morphine likewise was administered.
This same application became neces-
sary five minutes after the patient ar
rived at the Milburn House. the result
being an improved pulse, but slight
nausea. The first bulletin issued to the
public was dated p. m. 1t de-
scribed the character of the
wound, the general outline of the
operation, and spoke of the condi-
ton of the patient as gratifying and
justifying hopes of recovery. The next
entry, at 8:43, declares that he rested
quietly for eight minutes. but at 9:15
the patient vomited a small quantity
of partly digested food and a blood
clot. Vomiting followed at $40 also.
At 1910 the bulletin was issued stat
ing that the President was rallying
satisfactorily and resting comfortably.
At 10:45 p. m. there were occasional
twinges of pain and slight discolora>
tions of dressings. At II o'clock mid
night a saline enema was retained. At
1 a. m, an hour later, the bulletin de-
scribed the President as free from pain
and resting well. The notes followed
at intervals of less than an hour until
4:55 the second day, Sept. Z. The pa
tient was sleeping, but at the latter
hour q large amount of gas was ex-
PEELED and ten minutes later, at sos,
the entry reads:
Pain severe on deep respiration"
Morphine and DigitaIis.
At $50 the patient is said to be rest
less after retaining the pint of saline
enema. At a. m. the official bulletin
announced: THE President has passed
a good night" Fifteen minutes later
an injection of morphine was given,
n -
the. President had passed fairly COM
Portable night and no serious SYMPTOMS
had developed. At noon on the second
day more morphine was administered
hyodermically; at lis there was a sa-
line enema; and at 4:30 there was a
hypodermic injection of digitalis, the
patient passing much gas by the
mouth. The first alcohol bath was
given at $50 on this day, while the
patient was sleeping, but passing gas
by the mouth. At $50 the patient COM
planned of intense pain in the pit of
the stomach. He was given a hypo-
dermic Of morphine. No pain, but rest
less. Sponged with alcohol and rested
quietly for half an hour. The official
bulletin announced no change for the
worse.
At 7:4O p. m. digitalis was admin
istered hypodermically and at $50 the
bulletin stated that the conditions con-
tinued much the same. the President
resting we'll to medication. He had
fifteen minutes quiet sleep when a sa-
line enema with somatose was admin
istered. which part was rejected. Then
there was another hypodermic injec-
ton of digitalis at 10:40. and fifteen
minutes later, of morpha, the patient
being very restless.
The third day, Sept. 8. began with
the entry at 1890. Restless during
sleep. Limbs sponged with alcohol.
Quiet and slept from 2 to 3 o'clock"
The 3:20 a. m. bulletin said the Presi-
dent had passed a fairly good night.
At $3.50 a. m. there was another enema
Of salt and somatose. From to 4:30
the patient was said TO be confused
and very restless" At a. m, "com-
planned of feeling chilly, but II passed
in a moment" The patient was rest
less and talkative from to o'clock
a. M, expellng brown fluid and gas.
There are frequent entries of these
eructations. and before 8 o'clock there
were two hypodermic injections OF NOR
phine and digitalis. A hypodermic OF
strychnine was followed at 1890 by a
saline enema with a somotose, which
was not retained, and an alcohol rub.
At 4:45 .. m. the patient was restless
and talkative. and for the first time
was given water by the mouth.
Al 4:l5 an enema OF sweet OIL soap
and water brought away some slightly
colored fluid and a very little mucus.
AZ s p. M. there was a discharge Of
water from the bowels, and the patient
was set down aE very restless" ~
$50 a great deal Of gas was passed