Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-10
BULLET SPLIT IN TW0|
X-RAY DISCLOSES CHARACTER
OF MAYORS WOUND.
Two Danger Points That Will Have
to Be Watched for Blood
Poisoning.

NEW YORK, August 1O.-Although the
first of the six X-ray photographs was
taken shortly after 3 pm. yesterday, it
was not until S:45 o'clock that the plates
had been developed sufficiently to indicate
to the impatient surgeons the fact that
the bullet fired by Gallagher into Mayor
Gaynor's neck had been split in two by
impact with the jawbone and that there
fore there will be in the immediate future
two distinct danger points that will have
to be watched for blood poisoning.
One of the fragments, the larger one
lies apparently in the floor of the mouth
near the left ramus. or wing of the jaw
bone. The other lies near the entrance
point of the round behind the left ear
1t was agreed at a consultation late last
night that no operation would be neces-
sary for the present and more X-ray pho
tographs will be taken today.
DR.. Eugene W. Caldwell, who took the
photographs, is one of the greatest au-
thorities on the subject in the world, and
is ex-president of the International
Roentgen Ray Association.
Woman Works on Plates.
The difficulties of taking the exposures
on a patient still suffering SO greatly
from shock were many, and the utmost
caution had to be observed not to dis
turb the patient any more than was alb
solutely necessary. To make the problem
more difficult DIR. Caldwell had only
small portable machine. and feared all
the time that his labor might be in vain.
AS soon as the last plate had been ex
posed the doctor entered an automobile
and was carried to his home. at No. $50
Park avenue Hoboken Although min
utes might be precious, the chauffeur was
directed to sacrifice everything to safety.
as the slightest collision would destroy
the plates so laboriously secured. Once
in his home, however, the doctor worked
with feverish speed, assisted by his wife.
who is an expert in the development Of
X-ray plates.
Husband and wife worked side by side
the delicacy needed in a rare operation,
watching the slowly growing blurs on the
plates develop line by line into the pic
lures. upon the accuracy and defniteness
of which may depend the life of a man
whom all the country is watching and
praying for.
Shows Split Bullet.
While the doctor and his wife worked
in the dark room other doctors waited
in breathless suspense in an outer room,
we'll brought to them the first of the
negatives. 1t was a perfect plate, and
the surgeons bent eagerly over it, search
ing for the foreign blur that would show
the location of the bullet. What they
saw at first startled them, for, instead OF
one blur, there were two, and it was
several minutes before they could appre-
ciate the fact that the death intended
bullet had been fairly clipped in two In
its impact against the jawbone of the
mayor. Not until the second and the
third. and finally the sixth plate. all
did the surgeons accept the strange story
told by the first. Then, realizing that
neither particle of the bullet was in a
position that would mean immediate dan
ger. they were startled at the thought
that came to them all at once that the
two particles meant two danger points
from that most serious enemy, blood
poison.
Mayor Seems Not Worried.
Dr. Caldwell, in speaking of the
patient last night after the terrific
strain of the past seven hours was
ended, said:
'In all my experience 1 have never
seen man bear up more bravely or
appear more cheerful under such cir
cumstances than the mayor He is a
wonderful man and seems not a whit
worried over the occurrence that put
him in such grave peril"
In spite Of the clearness Of the photo
graphs taken by DR.. Caldwell yester-
day, another series will be taken today
II Mayor Gaynor's condition remains as
favorable as 1t was last night. AS
matter of fact, the most delicate detail
OF the use Of the X-ray photography Is
in the Interpretation of the blurs made
by foreign objects. and while the con-
sultants were agreed last night on the
meaning Of the two spots on all Of the
six plates taken yesterday, it was de-
cided to make assurance doubly sure
before attempting the removal of the
bullets.