Publication information |
Source: Semi-Weekly Interior Journal Source type: newspaper Document type: editorial Document title: none Author(s): anonymous City of publication: Stanford, Kentucky Date of publication: 20 December 1901 Volume number: 29 Issue number: 84 Pagination: [2] |
Citation |
[untitled]. Semi-Weekly Interior Journal 20 Dec. 1901 v29n84: p. [2]. |
Transcription |
full text |
Keywords |
McKinley physicians (payment); Matthew D. Mann (public statements); William McKinley (medical care: criticism). |
Named persons |
Leon Czolgosz; Matthew D. Mann; Ida McKinley; William McKinley. |
Document |
[untitled]
T
doctors who waited on President McKinley when he was assassinated are expecting a big appropriation by Congress for their bungling work. Here is a statement Dr. Matthew D. Mann gives out to the Buffalo News: “We feel that when we operated on the president of the United States that we operated for the American people, with a view of saving their president or [sic] them; we were not called by the family of President McKinley, but by the authorities, the cabinet and others, to take charge of the president, and we feel therefore that we have a right to look to Congress and the nation for our remuneration. We took a tremendous responsibility, because we took in our hands the life of the most prominent man in the world; and we feel that in taking such a responsibility we ran an immense risk. Had the autopsy showed that we made any serious mistake we would have received unlimited condemnation—we might even have been ruined professionally. From all these facts, we feel that we should not be called upon to render bills to the family. Any bill which we might render to the late president’s estate would be larger than Mrs. McKinley ought to be called upon to pay.” The doctors took a great responsibility indeed, but from the result of their work it is proven that the president took an even greater risk. It may never be known which cost President McKinley his life—Czolgosz’s bullet or some of his physicians’ knives.