Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-22

hesLOfe0 TO Acf1V1tye
WASHINGTON, August 21-To-night's bull
letin, stating that the President had yomited
twice this afternoon, was q surprise to the
public, and has had a somewhat depressing
effect. The surgeons have said of late that
the Presidents recovery depended upon his
stomach that If it would retain nourish-
ment, strength and final recovery might be
hoped for. Iu view of this statement of the
case, another spell of vomiting is regarded
generally as most unfaVorable symptom.
DIR. Bliss says, however, that the vomiting
did not proceed from nausea, and therefore
does not indicate continued irritability of
the stomach. He says that owing to the
swelling Of the parotid gland, a mucuous
collection gathers in the Presidents throat
which it has been difficult for him to expel.
That this has caused the President consid-
cradle annoyance for two days past, and
when be sleeps this gathering of phlegm in
his throat causes a rattling. That to day
his efforts to expel the phlegm caused
violent spell of coughing, which ended in
vomiting, and the second vomiting followed
fit of coughing, but not Immediately.
DR.. Bliss says that vomiting came about
two hours after nourlshment had been
taken into the stomach. There was no
nausea whatever, and all the evidence, he
says, goes to show that the stomach per
forms its functions, and is comparatively
free from irritability. He says that although
satisfied that the vomiting was caused by
mucous collection and the coughing, it had
been decided to give the stomach short
Ri st, and that no more nOurishmenJ will be
put into it for few hours. That enemata
will be depended upon entirely to sustain
the President until it is entirely safe to re-
sumo the giving of food by the mouth
That, as the stomach has had this strain, it
is better not to risk irritating 1t any with
food.
He says this statement of the cause of the
vomiting was not included In the bulletin
because it would have required too much
explanation to make it understood, and
would have extended the bulletin into
lengthy document; and that the doctors
considered the advisability Of making this
explanation in the bulletin, but concluded
to simply state the fact that vomiting had
occurred. He gays the first vomiting dis
charged the contents of the stomach, but
the second expelled about four ounces Of
bile, and thus cleansed the stomach out.
The swelling Of the gland is hardened, and
is preparing to suppurate. The surgeons
think it will not be in a condition to cut in
less than four or five days. The last spell
of vomiting was at 5:l5 p. M, and up to
$50 there had not been any more-so
message then received from one of the
doctors said.
Despite the explanation given of the
cause of the vomiting there was general
disposition to take gloomy view of the
case. The marked reticence of the surge
ons and attendants on the President tonight
tends to increase this feeling. They have
remained shut up in the rooms near the
Presidents, except that two or three of the
attendants passed through the Private Sec
retary's office. But they could not say any
thing about the case. Efforts even to get
word from DIR. Agnew failed. He declined 10
be seen or send message as to his opinion,
simply referring inquirers to the bulletin.
Whenever the President appears to be doing
well it is not difficult to see the surgeons
and attendants.
Tonight all the members Of the Cabinet
met at the White House, and they have re-
ole In ha
is a significant quiet prevailing at the White
House. The cOuntepanees of the inmates
there indicate a feeling of uneasiness, to
say the least. There is fear prevalent that
the President is too week to be nourisbed
much longer by enemata, although DR.. Bliss
says this method has so fsr proved emf
nently successful and that the President
really gains some strength from it.
DR.. Boynton said about half past nine
O'Clock tonight that it was as well to admit
that this vomiting spell of the Presidents
might portend serious results. That, while
it was doubtless true that severe coughing
had brought on the vomiting, 1t might in
dicate continued weakness of the stomach,
and, unless the Presidents stomach will
admit of bis nourishment, from now on, the
case would look desperate. DIR. Boynton
thought tomorrow, probably, would decide
the case one way or the other.
Soon afterwards DR.. Bliss admitted sub
stantiallY that the condition of the case to-
morrow would be likely to show whether
the President can recover or not. He ex-
hoN fY,I t,rk otI
"The President must be able to take nour-
ishInent in the natural way If he is to re-
cover" He believed to morrow would
probably show favorable turn, and, If so,
there would be ground for hope. If, on the
contrary, the stomach should revolt against
food the case will lock badly.
The White House was closed about ten
O'Clock tonight, and all but the night
wa'chmen and doctors and nurses In at
tendance upon the President went home.
Secretary Brown stated then that the Presi-
dent was sleeping quietly, and had been
sleeping most of the night, and that he had
not vomited again. AT half-past ten one of
the night wstchmen on the upper floor said
everything was very quiet in the Presidents
room IS if he were sleeping, and that the
doctors were lying down. Nothing direct
and positive could be learned from the
President.
WAKEFUL NIGHT.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, August 81, $50 A.
NJ The President awoke more frequently
than usual, yet slept sufficiently during the
night, and appears comfortable this morn
ing. The parotid swelling is about the
same, but is not painful. He took LIQUID
nourishment by the mouth several times
during the night as well as this morning.
Pulse 106, temperature 50 8, respiration Is.
d. HAYES AGNEw. d. w. BLISS.
J. K. BARNES. j. j. WOODWARD.
RoBT. RETBURN.
VOMITING AGAIN.
$50 P. M-The President has vomited
twice during the afternoon. The admins
tration OF food by the mouth has, therefore,
been again temporarily suspended and nu-
tritive enemata will be given more frequent
ly. His temperature and his pulse are rather |
less frequent than yesterday afternoon. The |
parotid swelling is painless but stationary. |
Pulse los, temperature 80 2, respiration Is. |
ID. W. BLISS. j. j. WOODWARD. |
j. K. BARNES. ROBERT RKYBURN.
ID. HAYES AGNEw.
WHAT CAUSED THE VOMITING.
7:3O P. M.-Dr. Bliss has just left the |
Mansion for home. He says that the united |
opinion of the attending surgeons is that
the vomiting which occurred this afternoon
was caused by the secretion of phlegm In
the Presidents throat as a result of the in
famed gland.