Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-09-26
VIEW
Or. Mccarty. Who Attended Faith
or Mackin, Tells of Pa
TENTS Symptoms.
SEVERE CROSS EXAMINATION
Questions Indicate Theory of Contest
ants in the Case-Claim Wit
ness is Biased.

DR.. Daniel J. McCarty of Davenport
was on the stand all the afternoon yes
/ terday in the circuit court, testifying
on behalf of the proponents of the will
in the Mackin will contest which Is
dragging along before Judge w. Il.
Gest and the jury. DR.. McCarty was
Father Mackin's attending physician il
his last illness, and during the direct
examination gave proof of the details
| surrounding the sickness of the priest
and the progressive steps of the dis
case. The progress of the ailment
from its inception, through all the sue
cessive stages of gradual decline and
until the final stupor coma and death
| of Father Mackin were presented to
| the jury The questions were present
| ed in the greatest detail, and the wit
ness was called ON to recount ever!
| change in appearance from visit to
| visit, every apparent improvement, ev-
cry bit of conversation, with the top
| les, manner, and as far as possible, the
exact language of Father Mackin.
Indicate Their Theory
The cross examination was conduct
ed by John T. Kenworthy, and in the
questions asked the witness, he fore
Swallowed the theory of the contest
ants as to the medical phase of the
case. Briefly stated, it is that the
character of the disease with which
Father Mackin was afflicted and from
which ne died, pernicious anaemia. was
one which impoverished the red COZ
puscles, of the vital elements of the
haf oh oofo icfi
is to devitalize the mentality anO
cause the patient to become less ablc
to think, to reason, and to form jus
judgments. A large part of the eros
examination was directed to this thee
ry by means of hypothetical question:
and Mr.. Kenworthy sought to commits
the physician to this opinion. DR.. Nc
Carly throughout the ordeal of the |
cross examination was calm and de
liberate, and seemingly sincere and
frank in his answers, admitting to q |
certain extent that there might b.
some truth in the theory of the con
testants as to the case.
Was Called at Christmas.
DR.. McCarty stated that he was edu
Gated at the University of Georgetown |
where Father Mackin also graduated !
He was first called to. see the priest
Christmas night, 1904. and was then |
informed that Father Mackin had been |
to Chicago and consulted DR.. ]. B |
Murphy, who diagnosed the case "a |
perniciouS anaemia. He detailed the |
symptoms of the patient, and said thai
upon a thorough examination he be |
lieved the case to be properly diagnos
ed in Chicago, and that a subsequent
examination of portion of blood from |
Father Mackin's finger tips absolutely |
confirmed the diagnosis. He testified |
that on his first visit he felt that the |
case was an incurable one, but did not |
so inform Father Mackin. He told OF |
the prescriptions and their intended eff
feet, stating however, that the disease |
is practically incurable, though varying |
in duration from one to two years with |
proper medical treatment
Priest Always Hopeful.
Dr. McCarty stated that Father /
Mackin, up to the last week or until |
the last stage of the disease devel |
oped, was always hopeful of a perma
nent cure, and continued i'll his usual /
happy, jovial frame of mind, laxative
and reminiscent. He said that during
Mackin to be of sound mind, and that |
he saw nothing in the patients appear
ance. conversation, or actions that |
would lead him to believe otherwise.
Under cross examination DR.. Nc
Carly stated that he had had in pri-
vate practice two other cases of this
character, and that in hospital work
had seen a number of similar cases.
He stated that the disease consists of
a lack of, or decrease in the number
of the red corpuscles in the blood,
which is the vital part of the blood.
When these became sufficiently reduc-
ed, the patient dies from exhaustion
The symptoms indicated are paleness,
pallor lemon colored hue of the skin,
weakness, shortness of breath, stom
ach trouble, abcesses in the ears or
other parts of the body, swelling or
putting of the limbs, and later stupor
gradually growing deeper and deeper
until complete coma develops and
death ensues. The progress of Faith
er Mackin's illness. he said, was rath-
er slow at first, but developed rapidly |
just a week before he died.
Mentality Not Affected.
Dr. McCarty said that the patients |
mentality is not necessarily affected |
particularly in the earlier stages, and |
that in Father Mackin's case he could
not see any difference in him, men
tally, at any time during his illness,
until the last few days. He admitted,
however, that the condition of the
blood necessarily did have an effect on
the nutrition of the brain, and in con-
sequence must have some effect on the
mental powers of the person afflicted.
but insisted that only toward the later