New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-02-23
VICTTM OF DISEASE HE
FOUGHT FOR YEARS.
DR.. @. III. WynkOop, One of His
physicians, Tells Of Surgeons
Struggle for Life.

attended him, died at noon yesterday at Wynn
berly. Isle Of Hope. suburb OF Savannah
While, his death was received with deep sor-
row 10y those OF his procession and his host OF
friends, there surprise shown. Several
DAYS ago DR.. Bull grew much weaker. and he
became unconscious few hours before his
death. Dr.. W s. Crawford. who was his
sistant in this city for many years. in at
tendance yesterday when he died. and issued
9his bulletin few minutes afterward:
Or. Bull passed away quietly at noon to-day.
the last few days his condition had grown grad
ually weaker.
Dr. Gerardus H Wynkoop. OF No. 12S Madi-
son avenue who was OF the physicians in
charge OF Dr.. Bull when he was first stricken
snd subsequently, accompanied him TO Newport.
was greatly grieved when he received the news
Ct the surgeons death. He said last night that
while everything known 20 science in the treat
nent of cancer had been used in DR.. Bulls
case death was inevitable.
He said that much erroneous publicity had
been given TO the condition Of DR.. Bull dur
ing his long illness in this city. and that there
had been practically no decided change in his
condition though stories had appeared in print
telling Of his Improvement
SAYS STORIES WERE EXAGGERATED.
Until he became III himself early in December
Or. Wynkoop was in constant attendance
the surgeon and was familiar with every detail
OF the case He said last night that DR.. Bull
had become restless because of his long confine-
rnent 10 his room and wanted change Of scene.
He expressed desire &c be wheeled about in
q rolling chair, and as there was no danger at
tending such a move he was permitted to be
wheeled about the corridor Of the Plaza Hotel.
where he could look out on Central Park and
enjoy the air When this request Of DR. Bull
was granted a report became current in the
newspapers that the stricken surgeon was i'm
proving and that the improvement had attained
20 such degree that he able TO sit up in
q chair and be wheeled about
Now, there was nothing extraordinary about
this" said DR.. wynkoop "Dr Bull was ex-
needingly weak, but his removal from bed 10 a
rolling chair was a simple matter and did not
cause him one bit Of exertion. His strength was
not called upon in the slightest by his removal
from bed. A rolling chair the exact height OF
1he bed was brought in and the bed clothing on
which DT. Bull was lying was lifted gently by
attendants and drawn over the chair When
this done adjustable head piece Of the
chair was raised slowly and the patient covered
with warm covering. Then he was able 70 sit
Ep and enjoy the view from the corridor without
Ehe least danger.
1T was the same rraugement by which he
was put in an automobile and driven about in
she air. When these things were done they
aroused publicity, and It reported that DR..
Bull was improving. II was not He was
exceedingly weak, but the change OF scene did
not cause him 80 grow weaker"
When asked II there was any feature of DR..
Bulls illness that was extraordinary in the way
he chung to life, Dr. Wynkoop said there was
not
1T was about the average case OF cancer" he
continued In fact the first appearance of his
disease and DR.. Bulls death occurred within
year. The average of runs for
period OF from twelve TO eighteen months before
death comes. There have been where
death has occurred earlier than that period and
cases where il has occurred later. Probably DR.
Bulls death tri3e earlier than the aver
age case. The fact that his illness was given
such publicity owing to his prominence possibly
made il seem that he living longer and
making a harder fight for life"
WHEN CANCER WAS DISCOVERED.
+Dr Bull knew cancer" he continued. but
when he first came TO me about small growth
in his neck last March he was not sure Of its
nature Neither nor other surgeons who were
consulted in the case were able 10 say that II
was cancer. II was not until after the growth
~ss removed and meteorological examination
made OF it that we positive it
We knew then that the disease was fatal
When asked why Dr. Bull operated upon
when the disease Was known to be cancer and
incurable Dr.. wynlxoop said:
THE removal OF the cancer done for the
benefit Of the patient and those who
euired 10 be with him. The odor OF the
IS Objectionable that its removal is a great
relief 20 the patient and those about him. Then,
the operation gives the patient a certain i'm
munity for a period that varies in various cases
The return Of the growth somewhere else is GER
tain. In DR.. Bulls case the growth returned in
the same place from which IL removed in
unusually short time, and spread around the
neck to the other side. The first growth, which
was about the size OF flbert, grew rapidly and
had attained the size Of small orange when 1t
was removed
DR.. wynkoop said there were complications
attending DIR. Bulls Illness He said that death
vas due 10 oedema of the lungs caused by ex-
haustion the ravages os the cancer draining the
surgeons strength
-of course DIR. Bull contracted rheumatism
while IN Newport" said Dr. Wynkoop. and
when this affiiction made its way 10 his heart in
the latter part Of August. il weakened that or
gan and had a tendency toward exhaustion.
Apart from this Dr. Bull did not suffer any dur
ing MS Illness The rheumatism was overcome
and later disappeared in the middle Of Novem-
ber. From that time until the day he died he
had only to deal with cancer. DR.. Bull died OF
ederaa Of the lungs that probably was due 10
the progress OF exhaustion. do not know that
ii is so. but the oedema may have been caused
eiso by a cancerous growth IN the lungs"
Operations for cancer certainly prolong life
for a brief period" said Dr. Wynkoop but the
patient seldom lives long after the third opera
ton. for the cancerous growth usually appears
Confined en- seventh page.