Part 22 (1/2)

31 In just four days, he had managed: Bell, In just four days, he had managed: Bell, Upon the Electrical Experiments Upon the Electrical Experiments, 24, 29.

32 ”forced exertions”: Ibid., 2627. ”forced exertions”: Ibid., 2627.

33 ”In its present form”: Bell to D. W. Bliss, July 31, 1881, in Bell, ”In its present form”: Bell to D. W. Bliss, July 31, 1881, in Bell, Upon the Electrical Experiments Upon the Electrical Experiments, 56.

34 On July 31: Bell, ”Volta Lab Notes,” July 31, 1881. On July 31: Bell, ”Volta Lab Notes,” July 31, 1881.

35 ”no difficulty”: Bell to D. W. Bliss, July 30, 1881, in Bell, ”no difficulty”: Bell to D. W. Bliss, July 30, 1881, in Bell, Upon the Electrical Experiments Upon the Electrical Experiments, 57. Just the day before, Bell had tested McGill with no success, writing dejectedly in his laboratory notebook that he had been able to ”get no indication” of the bullet in McGill.

36 ”no need of further secrecy”: Bell to Mabel Bell, July 31, 1881, Bell Family Papers. ”no need of further secrecy”: Bell to Mabel Bell, July 31, 1881, Bell Family Papers.

37 ”Come up and see us”: ”Come up and see us”: Boston Herald Boston Herald, quoted in Bruce, Alexander Graham Bell and the Conquest of Solitude Alexander Graham Bell and the Conquest of Solitude, 34647.

38 ”My new form of Induction Balance”: Bell to D. W. Bliss, July 31, 1881, in Bell, ”My new form of Induction Balance”: Bell to D. W. Bliss, July 31, 1881, in Bell, Upon the Electrical Experiments Upon the Electrical Experiments, 56.

39 ”suspected spot”: Bell, ”suspected spot”: Bell, Upon the Electrical Upon the Electrical Experiments Experiments, 32; ”The President's Case,” Was.h.i.+ngton Post Was.h.i.+ngton Post, August 1, 1881.

40 ”the only other person present”: Bell, ”the only other person present”: Bell, Upon the Electrical Experiments Upon the Electrical Experiments, 32.

41 Finally, he asked the first lady: Finally, he asked the first lady: Harper's Weekly Harper's Weekly, August 13, 1881.

42 ”a general expectation”: Bell, ”a general expectation”: Bell, Upon the Electrical Experiments Upon the Electrical Experiments, 3233.

43 ”if success crowns the effort”: Ibid., 3233. ”if success crowns the effort”: Ibid., 3233.

44 ”now unanimously agreed”: Prichard and Herring, ”The Problem of the President's Bullet,” 627. ”now unanimously agreed”: Prichard and Herring, ”The Problem of the President's Bullet,” 627.

45 ”In the absence”: Bell, ”In the absence”: Bell, Upon the Electrical Experiments Upon the Electrical Experiments, 33.

46 ”perfectly sure”: Ibid. ”perfectly sure”: Ibid.

47 Still, Bell was not convinced: Ibid. Still, Bell was not convinced: Ibid.

48 He had just begun: Ibid., 34. He had just begun: Ibid., 34.

49 Determined to find a way to keep working: Tainter, ”The Talking Machine,” 37. Determined to find a way to keep working: Tainter, ”The Talking Machine,” 37.

Chapter 20: Terror, Hope, and Despair

1 ”This fighting with disease”: Garfield to Lucretia Garfield, February 23, 1862, quoted in Shaw ”This fighting with disease”: Garfield to Lucretia Garfield, February 23, 1862, quoted in Shaw, Crete and James, 126.

2 ”They will not be allowed to get large”: ”The Doctors' Reasons for Hope,” ”They will not be allowed to get large”: ”The Doctors' Reasons for Hope,” New York Times New York Times, Aug. 30, 1881.

3 ”facilitate the escape of pus”: Bliss, ”The Story of President Garfield's Illness,” 301. ”facilitate the escape of pus”: Bliss, ”The Story of President Garfield's Illness,” 301.

4 Using a long surgical knife with an ivory handle: Garfield exhibit at National Museum of Health and Medicine. Using a long surgical knife with an ivory handle: Garfield exhibit at National Museum of Health and Medicine.

5 ”a profuse discharge”: Reyburn, ”a profuse discharge”: Reyburn, Clinical History of the Case of President James Abram Garfield Clinical History of the Case of President James Abram Garfield, 53.

6 ”without an anaesthetic”: Bliss, ”The Story of President Garfield's Illness,” 301. ”without an anaesthetic”: Bliss, ”The Story of President Garfield's Illness,” 301.

7 Neither the incisions: Reyburn, Neither the incisions: Reyburn, Clinical History of the Case of President James Abram Garfield Clinical History of the Case of President James Abram Garfield, 6771; Rutkow, James A. Garfield James A. Garfield, 11920.

8 ”It is thought that some pus”: ”Steps Toward Recovery,” ”It is thought that some pus”: ”Steps Toward Recovery,” New York Times New York Times, August 13, 1881; D. W. Bliss to [??], August 13, 1881.

9 ”Not the minutest symptom”: ”The Surgeons' Confidence,” ”Not the minutest symptom”: ”The Surgeons' Confidence,” New York Times New York Times, August 20, 1881.

10 What did cause Bliss apprehension: The infection contributed to Garfield's starvation by itself consuming calories. What did cause Bliss apprehension: The infection contributed to Garfield's starvation by itself consuming calories.

11 In less than two months: Herr, ”Ignorance Is Bliss,” 459. In less than two months: Herr, ”Ignorance Is Bliss,” 459.

12 The barrel-chested: Ibid.; The barrel-chested: Ibid.; The Death of President James A. Garfield The Death of President James A. Garfield, National Museum of Health and Medicine.

13 ”the limit of what a man can lose”: ”The Doctors' Reasons for Hope,” ”the limit of what a man can lose”: ”The Doctors' Reasons for Hope,” New York Times New York Times, August 30, 1881.

14 ”at the best meal”: ”at the best meal”: New York Herald New York Herald, August 16, 1881, quoted in Clark, The Murder of James A. Garfield The Murder of James A. Garfield, 100.

15 Most days, Garfield was able: Clark, Most days, Garfield was able: Clark, The Murder of James A. Garfield The Murder of James A. Garfield, 89.

16 Although Garfield found it difficult: Ibid.; Comer, Although Garfield found it difficult: Ibid.; Comer, Harry Garfield's First Forty Years Harry Garfield's First Forty Years, 60.

17 The White House cook: Seale, The White House cook: Seale, The President's House The President's House, 525.

18 Realizing that he urgently needed: ”Dr. Bliss Rea.s.sured,” Realizing that he urgently needed: ”Dr. Bliss Rea.s.sured,” New York Times New York Times, August 17, 1881.

19 For a stretch of eight days: Prichard and Herring, ”The Problem of the President's Bullet,” 628. For a stretch of eight days: Prichard and Herring, ”The Problem of the President's Bullet,” 628.

20 Then Bliss began altering the mixture: Ibid.; Clark, Then Bliss began altering the mixture: Ibid.; Clark, The Murder of James A. Garfield The Murder of James A. Garfield, 101.

21 The danger was that: Author interview with David Lounsbury, MD; Eltorai, ”Fatal Spinal Cord Injury of the 20th President of the United States,” 336. The danger was that: Author interview with David Lounsbury, MD; Eltorai, ”Fatal Spinal Cord Injury of the 20th President of the United States,” 336.

22 At first, Garfield seemed: Clark, At first, Garfield seemed: Clark, The Murder of James A. Garfield The Murder of James A. Garfield, 101.

23 As well as being malnourished: Author interview with David Lounsbury, MD; Reyburn, As well as being malnourished: Author interview with David Lounsbury, MD; Reyburn, Clinical History of the Case of President James Abram Garfield Clinical History of the Case of President James Abram Garfield.

24 While newspapers continued: ”The Fight for Life,” While newspapers continued: ”The Fight for Life,” Evening Star Evening Star, August 23, 1881.

25 ”This dreadful sickness”: Harriet S. Blaine and Beale ”This dreadful sickness”: Harriet S. Blaine and Beale, Letters of Mrs. James G. Blaine, 23334.

26 It seemed that everyone: Clark, It seemed that everyone: Clark, The Murder of James A. Garfield The Murder of James A. Garfield, 93.

27 ”darkness,” she told her family: Harriet S. Blaine and Beale, ”darkness,” she told her family: Harriet S. Blaine and Beale, Letters of Mrs. JamesG. Blaine Letters of Mrs. JamesG. Blaine, 225.

28 ”Your father [is] much exercised”: Ibid., 23637. ”Your father [is] much exercised”: Ibid., 23637.

29 The Const.i.tution was of no help: The government did not tackle the issue of presidential disability until 1967, when it finally ratified the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Const.i.tution. The amendment had been spurred by the a.s.sa.s.sination of President John F. Kennedy four years earlier. The Const.i.tution was of no help: The government did not tackle the issue of presidential disability until 1967, when it finally ratified the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Const.i.tution. The amendment had been spurred by the a.s.sa.s.sination of President John F. Kennedy four years earlier.