The University at Buffalo (UB) Robert L. Brown History of Medicine Collection has added a rare and historically significant set of documents related to the 1901 assassination of President William McKinley. Known as the Matzinger Collection, this archive contains autopsy reports, medical notes, and personal documents belonging to Dr. Herman Matzinger, a professor of clinical pathology at UB’s medical school, who was participated in McKinley’s autopsy. The materials offer new insight into the president’s medical care and the investigation following his death.
“This is an incredibly important acquisition,” said Keith Mages, curator of UB’s Robert L. Brown History of Medicine Collection. “It includes never-before-seen evidence related to McKinley’s case, including the documentation of Dr. Matzinger’s bacteriologic testing and subsequent autopsy. We’re excited to have these documents back in Buffalo, available to researchers and the public alike.”
On Sept. 6, 1901, President McKinley was shot twice at close range by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Initially, doctors believed the surgery to remove the bullet was successful, but McKinley’s health soon deteriorated. He died on September 14, becoming the third U.S. president to be assassinated. The government commissioned a detailed report to investigate the shooting, surgery, and any underlying infections to address concerns about the cause of McKinley’s death.
Matzinger, a respected medical professional and 1884 UB graduate, collaborated with Dr. Harvey Gaylord, a professor of surgical pathology at UB, on the autopsy. Matzinger conducted a bacteriologic analysis of the bullet wound and surrounding tissues, to determine whether infection or poison played a role in McKinley’s death. His findings, groundbreaking at the time, concluded that no pathogenic bacteria or poison contributed to the president’s condition.
Matzinger’s final report said, “The significant absence of known pathogenic bacteria, particularly in the necrotic cavity, warrants the conclusion that bacterial infection was not a factor.” This confirmed that McKinley’s death likely resulted from trauma-induced complications, including severe pancreatic injury—a condition that would have been impossible to treat in 1901.
The Matzinger Collection includes a variety of primary documents related to the assassination investigation. Items include Matzinger’s 17-page notebook with lab notes, his final report on the autopsy, McKinley’s funeral tickets and official death certificate acknowledgment, and personal letters and related ephemera. Many of these materials were previously unknown, significantly enhancing the collection’s historical value.
The acquisition returns these artifacts to Buffalo, where they will serve as a resource for researchers and the public. “This collection provides new insight into a moment of national tragedy,” said Mages. “It’s a privilege to preserve this history and make it accessible to the Western New York community.”
Matzinger’s papers will be housed at UB’s History of Medicine Collection, where they will deepen understanding of investigations into McKinley’s death and the medical practices of the early 20th century.