The Portland daily press., 1881-08-18
The Presidents Situation.

WASHINGTON, Aug 1.-THE President dur
ing the night retained upon his stomach some
melted cracked ice, and it was stated after the
dressing of the wound last night that the area
of granulation was found larger than was sup
posed to be possible. In fact, the surgeons
say that the wound is rapidly healing.
DIR. Bliss admits that the President has lost
rs pounds and that he is deathly pale, but he
cause he wears full beard. DR.. Bliss also
says that the present troubles are entirely due
to the stomach and have no relation to the
wound, and most emphatically are not caused
| by blood poisoning.
| The Republican publishes an extra in which
| it says "The anxiety that was felt in all quar-
tiers in regard to the Presidents condition is by
| no means checked, although it is somewhat al
layed this morning. It is said that he rested
quietly during the night, but it was the still
utter Indifference to all surroundings. OF all
the surgeons, no one, save Dr. Bliss, had any
| positive expectation, though they might have
| had hope, that the President would be able
to rally from the low state in which he lay
during the whole of yesterday. DR.. Bliss con-
tnually asserted his belief that the doctors
| would be able to pull the patient through, but
| his belief was more the result of his hope than
| of q conviction based upon the Presidents con-
dition and reasonable probabilities. Surgeon
| General Barnes, when pressed for an opinion
as to probable recovery, evaded q direct an
| swer by saying that The President is still
alive, and Just SO long as there is life there is
hope But said his questioner, Does there
not occur crisis where there can be no reas-
| enable ground for hope, and has not this crisis
| arrived in the Presidents case. That said
| Gen. Barnes, L cannot say All the mem
| bers OF the Cabinet believed that the final
| termination OF the case was but the result of a
| few days. or possibly its continuance might be
measured by hours. There was, however,
| just the chance in the case expressed by the
| Surgeon General, that so long as there was
life there was hope. If the gastric irritation
could be overcome and the President retain
anything on his stomach, there would be a
chance for him to rally. This chance every
| one devoutly prayed for, and when it was
| learned that there had been no stomachic IT.
| ritability during the latter part OF the night,
| and that the President had drank some little
| ice water, which he greatly craved and which
| had been retained upon his stomach, there
was CLEAN of hope that with the removal of
the difficulty in this direction he might be able
to rally. Inquiries vera early made at the
White House as to how the night had been
passed, and as the favorable assurances were
| given, gratitude that he was still alive was
mingled with renewed hope of his ultimate
recovery
The news from the White House is that the
| improvement in the Presidents case con-
tinues. He does not lose strength and his
stomach is hourly gaining in tone. He has not
had any gastric disturbance since 4o'clock yes
terday afternoon, and it is probable that
slight amount of food will soon be offered his
stomach. A more hopeful feeling prevails and
the result of the coming experiments are
awaited with breathless interest The rela-
lively lower temperature this morning with
identical pulse indicates a slight loss of
strength. This was to be expected, for no one
pretends that the Presidents life can be pro-
longed for any considerable time by injections.
These are employed as a last resort to give the
system a temporary support which must be at
the best inadequate, in order to permit the
overtasked and Frustrated stomach to rest and
gather strength to begin again it's vital func-
TONS If it is found that these can be resumed,
even in slight degree today, it will be sub
stantial advance. 1t would not follow, how
ever, even if the stomach at first or any subse-
quent trial failed to respond, that hope would
and prove that the Presidents condition was
desperate. Injections would be in such Cir
cumstances resorted to again and the feeble
stomach given another rest, in the hope that it
might yet rally. Nor is it necessary that sue
cess Or failure must be complete. The stomach
may act favoraDly though imperfectly and fee
bly, Nothing final therefore, can be judged from
the effects of administering food, except that
If nourishment is retained it will be very IA
vorable symptom, while if the least and most
iudicious attempt is followed by complete fail
ure, it will indicate that the stomach's powers
are destroyed, and that death must soon follow
as necessary result.
The President Suffering from Chronic
Dyspepsia.
NEW YORK, Aug. 1.-THE Washington cor
respondent of the Brooklyn Eagle telegraphs
as follows: "Your correspondent met Chief
Medical Purveyor Baxter to-day and enquired
his opinion respecting the Presidents condi-
ton. DR.. Baxter said so far as he was in
formed the wound had been ably treated, but
he feared proper understanding of the Presi-
dents dyspeptic predisposition had not been as
carefully looked into. He had attended Presi-
dAnt Garfnld for the mas TO nd
perhaps more than any other physician re-
specting his constitution and its effects.
President Garfield, although of stalwart
physique, suffered from chronic dyspepsia and
habit and mental strain. In addition to this
he had two forms of dissipation, eating too
rapidly without proper mastication, and sit
ting up to an unusually late hour at night
over his books and public business. His food
did not assimiate and he therefore for years
has been victim to chronic dyspepsia OF
course sunder these circumstances, suffering
from the effect of severe gunshot wound, the
weakness of his constitution in this respect
should have been matter of the grayest con-
sideration. DR. Baxter fears this has not been
as thoroughly considered as the occasion de-
manded.
DR.. Hammond's Discouraging Opinion.
WASHINGTON, Aug 17.-In conversation
this afternoon regarding the statements made
BY DR.. Hammond relative to the treatment of
President Garfield in which he severely criti-
cizes the ability of the attending surgeons DR..
Bliss says it was too bad DIR. Hammond should
say should such things, and referred to the in
convenience he had gone to when the doctor
was in trouble to assist him. The longer the
speaker dwelt upon the subject the warmer he
grew, and in conclusion he said the statements
credited by the press to DR.. Hammond were
simply infamous and untrue.
The London Dispatch.
AT . p. m. Secretary Blaine sent the follow
To LoaceN Minister, London:
AT 4.30 p. IN. the physicians report the
President as in better condition than at ANY
time during the past as hours. He has retain.
ed very small qua~tty of liquid food in his
stom ach Hope is somewhat revived.
(Signed) BLAINE, Secretary.
An Interview with Mrs. Garfield.
Hon. Marshall Jewell called at the Mansion
this evening and requested to be permitted to
see Mrs. Garfield The request was granted
and the gentleman said he had informed the
lady of his intention of leaving the city in the
morning and that before starting he felt as if
he would like to hear some encouraging news
and asked the real condition of the patient
Mrs. Garfield responded to his question, ''Do
you think he is better?" with "Indeed I do,
know it," This reply, the gentleman says,
was emphasized and carried REINSURANCE with
it.
Secretary Blaine's Views.
During the course of conversion in the
evening Secretary Blaine said he was in Au-
gusta when he first heard of the unfavorable
change in the Presidents condition, but that
the inform alton conveyed did not indicate
cause for i'm mediate alarm. The reason Sec
rotary Blaine was not heard from before his
arrival was because he did not deem it neces-
sary to announce his coming. The Secretary
felt more hopeful on his arrival than he had
expected he should before he reached the city,
and while he admitted the gravity of the situa-
ton he thought there was decidedly good
reason to hope for the better reports from the
sickroom in the near future.
The Situation.
In conversation with one of the Presidents
immediate attendants to-day the subject of his
general condition was refeIIed to, whereupon
the attendant Notwithstanding to gener-
al impression regarding the Presidents ex-
IRENE disability, he has without question
great deal Of vitality yet and cannot justly be
said to be extremely feeble"
An prominent surgeon said tonight he had
been very respondent for ten days previous to
the present relapse, but when the condition of
the wound was thoroughly explained after the
rritability of the stomach had asserted itself
he felt at too much attention had been paid
to the wound at the expense Of the stomach,
and now that the surgeons had discovered this
weakness he anticipated great care would be
exercised over the patients diet in future and
all would be well. The gentleman said his
Eo5 hoo int