Publication information

Source:
Medical News
Source type: journal
Document type: news column
Document title: “Echoes and News”
Author(s): anonymous
Date of publication: 21 September 1901
Volume number: 79
Issue number: 12
Pagination: 470-74 (excerpt below includes only pages 473-74)

 
Citation
“Echoes and News.” Medical News 21 Sept. 1901 v79n12: pp. 470-74.
 
Transcription
excerpt
 
Keywords
William McKinley (medical care: international response); McKinley physicians (public statements); William McKinley [relative of president]; McKinley assassination (related tragedies).
 
Named persons
Matthew D. Mann; William McKinley; William McKinley (relative); Herman Mynter; Roswell Park; Charles G. Stockton; Eugene Wasdin.
 
Notes
Omission of text within the excerpt is denoted with a bracketed indicator (e.g., [omit]).
 
Document


Echoes and News
[excerpt]

     Operation was Necessary.—A distinguished specialist in abdominal troubles in London, speaking about President McKinley’s case, said the best surgeons in Europe were unanimous in asserting that the operation was the right and the best thing that could have been done, and that the President would have died in forty-eight hours had it not been performed.
     Foreign Comments.—The British Medical Journal, discussing the results of the autopsy says it is needless to assign any influence to the escape of pancreatic secretions or to a poisoned bullet, because the mechanical conditions “amply account for all disturbances found.” The journal testifies to the high rank of American surgery and says: “Success in such a case would have been a triumph, and defeat is not disgrace.”

[omit]

     No Dissension.—That certain of the daily papers should have persistently exhibited a disposition to disturb the harmony among the surgeons and physicians connected with Mr. McKinley’s case, cannot be regarded otherwise than unfortunate by any who hold in proper respect the dignity and good name of the profession. It is particularly regrettable that any medical man should have lent his name to such efforts. Under the circumstances we are not surprised that the following statement has appeared:
     “We desire to say to the press and the public, once for all, that every such publication and alleged interview with any of us containing criticism of one another or of any of our associates, is false and is nothing but scandal mongering. We say again that there was never a serious disagreement among the professional attendants as to any of the symptoms or as to treatment of the case or as to the bulletins which were issued. A very unusual harmony of opinion and of action prevailed all through the case.
     “The unfortunate result could not have been foreseen before the unfavorable symptoms declared themselves late on the sixth day, and could not have been prevented by any human agency.
     “Pending the completion and publication of the official reports of the postmortem examiners and of the attending staff, we shall refuse to make any further statements for publication, and alleged interviews with any of us may be known to be fictitious.

“MATTHEW D. MANN, ROSWELL PARK,          
“HERMAN MYNTER, EUGENE WASDIN,             
“CHARLES G. STOCKTON.”                    

     Obituary.—Dr. William McKinley, a well-known practising physician and a distant relative of the late President McKinley, was found dead at his home, at Polk, Pa. On Saturday Dr. McKinley was in Franklin, and with much emotion discussed the shooting and death of the late President with friends. He was of a highly nervous disposition and at different times during these discussions he became greatly excited over the assassination. In the evening he returned to Polk and a few hours after his arrival there his dead body was found by a member of the family lying on the ground in the rear of his residence. The phy- [473][474] sicians who were summoned said that death was due to apoplexy, brought on by the excitement of the day. Dr. McKinley had an acquaintance with President McKinley, and was one of his warmest admirers. He was a graduate of the Baltimore Medical College and forty-four years of age.