Complete Life of William McKinley and Story of His Assassination: An Authentic and Official Memorial Edition, Containing Every Incident in the Career of the Immortal Statesman, Soldier, Orator and PatriotEverett, Marshall
History
Complete Life of William McKinley and Story of His Assassination: An Authentic and Official Memorial Edition, Containing Every Incident in the Career of the Immortal Statesman, Soldier, Orator and Patriot
Six doctors were at the President’s side within thirty seconds after his
arrival at the hospital, among them the President’s family physician,
Dr. P. M. Rixey. Dr. Roswell Park, a surgeon of national reputation, was
summoned from Niagara Falls, where he was performing an operation, and
Dr. Herman Mynter arrived soon after.
The surgeons consulted and hesitated about performing an operation. The
President reassured them by expressing his confidence, but no decision
was reached when Dr. Mann of the exposition hospital staff arrived.
After another consultation Dr. Mann informed the President that an
operation was necessary.
“All right,” replied the President. “Go ahead. Do whatever is proper.”
The anesthetic administered was ether, and for two and a half hours the
President was under the influence of this.
The wound in the breast proved to be only a flesh wound. The bullet
struck a button and was somewhat deflected. It entered the middle of the
breast above the breast bone, but did not penetrate far. When the
President was undressed for the operation the bullet fell from his
clothing upon the table.
The second and serious wound was a bullet hole in the abdomen, about
five inches below the left nipple and an inch and a half to the left of
the median line. The bullet which caused that wound penetrated both the
interior and posterior walls of the stomach, going completely through
that organ.
It was found also that as a consequence of the perforation the stomach
fluid had circulated about the abdominal cavity.
Further examination disclosed that the hole made by the entrance of the
bullet was small and clean cut, while that on the other side of the
stomach was large and ragged.
A five-inch incision was made and through that aperture the physicians
were enabled to turn the organ about so as to suture the larger bullet
hole. After that had been sewed the abdominal cavity was washed with a
salt solution.
The operation performed on President McKinley at the emergency hospital
left no need for a second operation to follow it almost immediately. Dr.
Mann, who performed the operation, had for his first assistant Dr.
Herman Mynter. His second assistant was Dr. John Parmenter. His third
assistant was Dr. Lee of St. Louis, who happened to be on the exposition
grounds at the time of the tragedy, and placed his services at the
disposal of the President. Dr. Nelson W. Wilson noted the time of the
operation, and took notes. Dr. Eugene Wasdin of the marine hospital gave
the anesthetic. Dr. Rixey arrived at the latter part of the operation,
and held the light. Dr. Park arrived at the close of the operation. It
was Dr. Mann who wielded the knife.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account