American News and Notes [excerpt]

     The Death of President McKinley.—After an operation which was perfect in the surgical aspect, the lack of development of symptoms of sepsis and peritonitis, and the lapse of almost a week, in which all the indications pointed to a speedy recovery, the sudden change for the worse in the President’s condition, altogether unlooked for, came as a shock to the whole country. Hourly bulletins, issued direct from the sick chamber and signed by the physicians in charge, were very encouraging. Feeding by the mouth was begun on Tuesday morning, and was well borne, and since Wednesday all nourishment had been administered in this way. Thursday night, however, brought a decided change for the worse. On Friday he rallied slightly, but Friday evening his condition grew gradually worse, until 2,15 [sic] A. M. Saturday, when he died. The autopsy was held on Saturday morning at 11 o’clock. It was performed by Drs. Gaylord and Matzinger, in the presence of all the physicians who had attended the President during his illness. The report was awaited with great interest, and when it appeared it occasioned much surprise. It showed the President’s death to be due to gangrene. The whole course of the bullet’s track was gangrenous. The bullet perforated both walls of the cardiac portion of the stomach, and lacerated the upper portion of the left kidney. The physicians, though they did not find the bullet at the autopsy, are confident it is imbedded in the muscles of the back. Both wounds in the stomach were found to be perfectly closed, but around each wound was a gangrenous area the size of a silver dollar. The upper portion of the left kidney, part of the spleen and pancreas were also found to be gangrenous. The heart walls proved to be thin, but otherwise were normal. There was no sign of peritonitis or disease of other organs. This closes all criticism as to the methods of treatment employed by the President’s physicians and surgeons, death being unavoidable by any medical or surgical treatment. Dr. Mynter is of the opinion that the ball was poisoned, and a bacteriological examination is to be made of the remaining bullets in the chamber of Czolgosz’s revolver, a report of which will be awaited with much interest, as will also a further report of the autopsy.

     A Brief Personnel of the Surgeons in Attendance Upon President McKinley.—Dr. Matthew Mann, known as an eminent abdominal surgeon, is 56 years of age, and has practiced in Buffalo for about thirty years. He is the author of a standard text-book on gynecology, profesor [sic] of gynecology at the University of Buffalo, and gynecologist in the Buffalo General Hospital.
     Dr. Roswell Park is a graduate of Rush Medical College, and is about 48 years of age. He is the author of Park’s “System of Surgery,” and is well known to the profession the world over. He is surgeon-in-chief to the Buffalo General Hospital and professor of surgery at the University of Buffalo.
     Dr. Herman Mynter is an expert abdominal surgeon, and author of a valuable work on appendicitis. He has recently lectured abroad on this subject. He is now surgeon to the German Deaconess Home at the German Hospital.
     Dr. John Parmenter is about 40 years of age. He is professor of anatomy at the University of Buffalo, and is a careful operator.
     Dr. Eugene Wasdin is about 40 years of age. He is surgeon to the Marine Hospital. He was one of the experts recently detailed to investigate yellow fever in Cuba.
     Dr. T. W. Lee, of St. Louis, was medical director of the Omaha Exposition.
     Dr. N. W. Wilson is post surgeon at Fort Porter. He is the sanitary officer of the Pan-American Exposition.
     Dr. P. M. Rixey is a medical inspector in the United States Navy. He served as assistant surgeon in the navy for a number of years. Dr. Rixey was chosen physician to the McKinley family three years ago upon the removal from Washington of General Leonard Wood, who had been the family physician.

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     Dr. William McKinley Dead.—Dr. William McKinley, a distant relative of the late President McKinley, and a graduate of the Baltimore Medical College, was found dead at his home at Polk, Pa., on the night of Sept. 14th. He was 44 years old. On that day Dr. McKinley was in Franklin, Pa., and discussed the death of the late President with friends there. 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 lying on the ground in the rear of his residence. Death is said to have been due to apoplexy.