New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-17
Ian T.lerraph 70 Thc TrIbune.l

IBy Telegraph to Tho Tribunol
Chicago, oct. 16.-Dr. William y
Evans, formerly Health Commissioner
Of the City Of Chicago, was called 10
Mercy Hospital to see Colonel Roose-
welt to-day. DR.. Evans's examination
was followed by the announcement that
Colonel Roosevelt had suffered tract
ure Of the fourth rib. This had not
been previously allowed to become
known. DR.. Evans said:
Colonel Roosevelt's wound is IN
region Of the body filed with important
organs The bullet was headed straight
for the large blood vessel which comes
of from the heart. and had IT not been
nearly spent before 1t struck him 1t
would have killed him instantly.
Had it gone with the force that
any one firing IT had right 10 think
that II would have had. IT would have
cut this vessel loose from the heart and
death would have been instantaneous.
1T seems providential that every
thing that could possibly get In the
way did so. The bullet passed through
heavy clothing, overcoat, coat vest and
underwear, and these used UP good
deal of It's force. II struck his sus-
penders. and that helped.
1T went through one hundred pages
of manuscript speech-each page
absorbing some OF tho shock. Cutting
through his chest wall was no ordi-
nary Job. Colonel Roosevelt has phc-
nomenal chest development. His
strong. rounded ribs are covered over
by heavy layers Of muscle, and the lit
tie force that was left was completely
used In cutting through the heavy mus
cles and fracturing one rib. Another
ounce OF force, or any less resistance,
and the bullet would have travelled on.
The danger TO Colonel Roosevelt
lies in the possibility that the bullet
drove some germs into his tissues, and
that these may set up pneumonia or
pleurisy. II Is now almost forty hours
since he was wounded, and he has no
symptoms that indicate that such in
lection has occurred.
The bullet has not been probed for,
and will not be so long as everything
goes right. To probe for a bullet IL
dangerous because It interferes with
natures efforts to close up the wound
without inwection. The bullet VIII not
be removed. and no effort will be made
10 remove It."
A description OF the wound was given
tonight by DR.. w. B. McCauley. He
said the bullets path through the
muscles Of the chest was lacerated TO
some extent by the battered lead, but
there WAS little confusion and no eX-
tensiye area Of bruised Snd extra
yasated surrounding tissue.
The bullet did not mushroom as
might have been expected" said DR..
McCauley. For that reason 1t cut
comparatively small hole in the skin
and did not reduce large portion OF
the nearby tissues 20 pulp as Is the
case in q soft bullet that mushrooms
I'm animal tissue after it hits bone.
think the bundle Of papers in Colonel
Roosevelt's pocket checked it and the
snectacle case for some reason failed
TO spread the bullet much.
THE wound l. about big enough to
mt your finger in at the surface, ana
II does not appear to get very much
bigger, would call IL a very clean
wound The skin IL torn at the sur
face in a ragged way. but not badly,
and there is little bruising
There is not sign of suppuration
in the wound. The aesh is in good
condition and seems to be healing with
out complication. II there were pus
forming deep in the wound we would
know It at once by an unusual rise Of
temperature"
DR.. MacAuley added that it was now
certain from the X-ray pictures that
the bullet had not entered or injured
the pleural cavity, removing a grave
possibility i'm the case. His statement
was given after leaving the coloners
room and after a consultation with the
other surgeons.
He confirmed previous announce
ments that no attempt would lac made
at present to remove the bullet, which
is not expected to hinder the healing OF
the fractured rib.
DR.. John b. Murphy, who heads the
,,otoione An attendance nm ColonaI
Roosevelt, after saying that the
patients temperature, respiration and
Dulse we're favorable added:
"But the best sign of all is the al