Houdini's obituary

Taken from the New York Times dated Monday, November 1, 1926... .the day after Halloween. " DETROIT, Oct. 31



Harry Houdini, world famous magician, a defier of locks and sealed chests and an exposer of spiritualistic frauds, died here this afternoon after a week's struggle for life, in which he underwent two operations. Death was due to peritonitis, which followed the first operation, that for appendicitis. The second operation was performed last Friday. Like a newly discovered serum, used for the first time in Houdini's case, it was no avail. The chapter of accidents which ended fatally for the man who so often had seemed to thousands to be cheating the very jaws of death began early in October at Albany, N.Y.. On the opening night of his engagement at a theatre there a piece of apparatus used in his "water torture cell" trick was overturned and struck him on the foot. Houdini called a physician from the audience, had his foot examined and then completed the performance. Afterward he went to a hospital and had the injured foot x-rayed.

Appendix Follows Blow. A bone was found to be partly fractured and Houdini was advised to discontinue his tour a few days and give prompt attention and plenty of rest to an injured foot. He declined to cancel his engagements, however, and did not miss a show. From Albany he and his company went to Schenectady. Houdini was suffering continuous pain and returned to Albany for several treatments. By the time he left Schenectady for Montreal his whole system was in a weakened condition.

On Tuesday, Oct. 19, while in Montreal he addressed a class of students on spiritualistic tricks. During a reception following the address he commented on the strength of his stomach muscles and their ability to withstand hard blows without injury. One of the students without warning or giving time for Houdini to prepare struck him twice immedietly over his appendix. He suffered not distress at the time but after he had boarded a train for Detroit he complained of pain. At first he attributed it to something that he had eaten but as it increased he called in the company's nurse, who in turn arranged by wire to have a physician meet the magician in Detroit. Dr. Leo Dretzka, a prominent physician, made a hurried examination and told the patient there was symptoms of appendicitis. He left it to Houdini to decide whether it be advisable for him to appear that evening at the Garrick Theatre for the opening night of the show. Houdini would not disappoint his admirers. Looking back on that last performance, the large audience now realizes that the famous magician did his tricks under great strain. He felt the grip of bonds he had never tested, the snap of a lock not forged by human hands. He was worried for one of the few times in his career and was plainly not up to his best form in some of his tricks.

Conscious Until Death. At his hotel after the performance the pain increased. The house physician and the best Detroit could furnish were called. Houdini was taken to Gray Hospital and the following afternon underwent an operation for appendicitis. His removal from the hotel to the hospital was made at the suggestion of his family physician, William Stone of New York City, who had been notified by telephone of his friend's condition. Until his death Houdini was conscious and his mind was keen and alert. The Physicians who attended him say he was the best patient they ever had, and he helped them wonderfully. His mental attitude, combined with his unusual stamina, did much to prolong his life. According to statements made by the physicians, the playful punches he received in Montreal were the direct cause of Houdini's death, for one of the blows caused the appendix to burst, saturating his system with poison. Streptococcus peritonitis, which developed soon after the operation last Monday, seriously complicated the case. This is a particulary virulent form of poisoning, and few cases are known in the medical profession where persons suffering from it have recovered.



The body will leave Detroit for New York in a special car Monday evening, arrive in New York Tuesday morning about 9 o'clock. "