Alright, we all know that the death of James Garfield was a near thing. The doctors didn't sterilize their hands before probing around his body. The navy surgeon ruptured his liver. Alexander Graham Bell invented a metal detector to find the bullet. Unfortunately, Garfield was laying on one of the few beds with metal springs in the country, so what they thought was the bullet burried deeper than anyone expected was one of springs. The bullet was actually lodged near his spine in a protective cyst. Garfield, instead of recovering like he likely would have, died a long and painful death.
So, lets propose that he survives. Maybe Garfield's wife had just read an article on sterilization and insisted that the doctors clean their hands before probing her husband. Maybe the naval surgeon doesn't rupture the liver. Maybe he gets better doctors. Maybe Garfield isn't laying on a bed with a metal frame, and Bell located the bullet correctly. Maybe Garfield, who never even lost conciousness throughout the ordeal, simply orders the doctors to leave him alone.
Garfield recovers, much to the relief of the nation. It turns out to be a very good PR incident in the end. Charles Guiteau still puts on an entertaining trial for everyone (the man was crazy, often conducting his own defence in epic poems) and gets himself executed. The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act is still passed, ending the spoils system of American politics.
So, lets propose that he survives. Maybe Garfield's wife had just read an article on sterilization and insisted that the doctors clean their hands before probing her husband. Maybe the naval surgeon doesn't rupture the liver. Maybe he gets better doctors. Maybe Garfield isn't laying on a bed with a metal frame, and Bell located the bullet correctly. Maybe Garfield, who never even lost conciousness throughout the ordeal, simply orders the doctors to leave him alone.
Garfield recovers, much to the relief of the nation. It turns out to be a very good PR incident in the end. Charles Guiteau still puts on an entertaining trial for everyone (the man was crazy, often conducting his own defence in epic poems) and gets himself executed. The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act is still passed, ending the spoils system of American politics.