Destiny of the Republic / Candice Millard
Published by Doubleday, 2011, 339
This book details Garfield's life, but I will be focusing on the tragic end to Garfield's presidency, which was abruptly stopped by his assassination.
The Assassination of James Garfield
President James A. Garfield was and still is one of the most respected presidents to serve in the White House. Millard book is split into parts, each part a significant chunk from Garfield's life. Millard wrote of Garfield becoming president in the first two parts, then focuses more on his death in parts three and four of her book, and I found what she wrote to be fascinating. The book switched between telling the main events mainly from three people perspectives, which were Alexander …show more content…
At first, he planned to kill Garfield at his church, but he missed every opportunity presented to him. He made up his mind that he would not hesitate at the next chance he had. This moment was presented to Guiteau July 2 at the Baltimore and Potomac train station. Guiteau aimed and fired at Garfield twice, the first bullet passing sliced through his right arm, and the second going into his back. Guiteau was immediately seized by police and taken to the prison. Garfield was placed on a mattress of horse hair and taken upstairs to a spare room above the station. It was there that several doctors were called to look at the bullet wound, but as soon as Dr. D. Willard Bliss arrived, he took charge and remained in charge for the remainder of Garfield's life. It was here that the doctors made a huge mistake, one that had costed Garfield his life. Joseph Lister, a European doctor, had founded the practice of antiseptics and promoted sterilization. America did not believe in this, or even the existence of germs. Garfield's doctors, especially Bliss, were very against this and examined he wound with unsterilized fingers and instruments. This introduced bacteria and infections into an otherwise nonfatal wound, far more dangerous than the actual bullet. Not only was the wound exposed to the germs of the doctors fingers and instruments, Garfield was also laying on a disgusting station floor, unwashed and introducing even more