The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-09-19
John Gretzer Of Council Bluffs Has
Bullet in Brain and Mayor Gay
nor's Attendants Arc
Interested.
CARRIED IT II YEARS
He Has Excited Deepest Interest
Among Surgeons and Physicians
Of MetropoIis-shot in
War.

An Iowa boy, John Gretzer, Jr., son
of John Gretzer of Council Bluffs, has
been exciting considerable interest
among New York surgeons in attend
ance upon Mayor Gaynor, by reason of
the fact that he is physical proof
OF the fact that man can carry
bullet for many years in vital por-
ton of his anatomy, without suffering
any Ill effects. Mr. Gretzer, who is
now attached to the New York divis-
ion of postoffice inspectors, has car
ried bullet In his brain for eleven
years, or ever since the Spanish-Amer-
lean war.
Mr.. Gretzer's case occupies prom
inent place in the volume issued under
the direction of Surgeon-General Stern
berg, U. S. A., entitled THE Use of
4 the Roentgen Rays in the Medical De
partment of the United States Army in
the War With Spain" This volume
has been the subject of careful study
by the physicians attending Mayor
Gaynor. Gretzer, who was one of the
most famous of subjects, was examin-
ed and questioned by the mayors
doctors. It is believed that the decis-
Ion not to operate or attempt to re-
move the bullet from Mayor Gaynor's
head was largely Influenced By Mr..
Gretzer's present. excellent physical
condition.
Gretzer, who was student at the
Nebraska university at the time of the
Spanish war. went to the Philippines
with Nebraska company. During an
engagement his regiment was held as
a reserve about mile in the rear of
the firing line. A spent Mauser steel
jacketed bullet struck Gretzer in the
forehead over the right eye. 1t took
a course directly back, finally stop
ping about an inch from the rear wall
of the skull. between the cerebrum
and cerebellum. Gretzer dropped as
soon as he was struck. He was Ia
ken to the reserve hospital at Manila,
but little hope of recovery was ex-
pressed by the army surgeons. For
the first twenty-four hours he was I'M
conscious.
At first Gretzer suffered from a
slight paralysis of the right side, a
defective vision of the right eye and
some mental confusion. After about
two weeks in the hospital these symp-
toms left him ard he began to i'm
prove rapidly in health. Gretzer was
transferred to the mail service, where
he served until his return to this
country, when he was detailed to the
New York division of postoffice in
spector's. He now does as much work
as any man who doesn't find 1t neces-
.sary to carry a Spanish Mauser bullet
! around in his gray matter.
When he landed at San Francisco
his case attracted even more attention
than it had at Manila. X-ray pictures
were taken, clearly showing the loca
ton of the bullet. 1t had followed a
course slightly downward and stopped
between the larger and smaller brains
The missile Being steel jacketed, had
retained its original form.
Following the attempted assassina
ton, word of Gretzer's case reached
the doctors attending the mayor al
st. Mary's hospital at Hoboken He
was asked to visit the hospital and
his case, together with scores of 9th
ers involving bullet wounds, was care
fully investigated. 1t was then de
cided that for the time being it would
be unwise to operate upon the mayor