The President’s Case

     Amid all the darkness and gloom attending the last days of President McKinley, it is comforting, at [325][326] least to members of the medical fraternity, to know that there was absolutely none of that unseemly wrangling and disagreement that too often mar bedside scenes, in the conduct of the case. The most complete harmony from the beginning prevailed among the surgeons. This statement is true and is vouched for over the signatures of the entire staff, in spite of the vicious endeavors made by at least one of the yellow journals to stir up trouble. All expert testimony is unanimous in the opinion that the conduct of the case was above criticism. One or two medical journals, it is true, mildly criticise the administration of food by the mouth, but this only strengthens faith in the good judgment of the attending surgeons. The critics seem to be unaware of the fact that the rectum had absolutely refused to perform longer its vicarious function and the normal route was obliged to be put into service or the distinguished patient would have died of exhaustion. The result was not entirely unforeseen, notwithstanding the somewhat roseate views announced by the doctors. Doctors, however, are but men, and being such it is but natural that they become imbued with the popular hopefulness; and it were better so, for of what use is the doctor without hope? The case could not have been better handled in spite of the somewhat mistaken prognosis. The ultimate cause of the conditions found at the autopsy is still a matter of conjecture.