St. Landry democrat., 1881-09-03
The Presidents Sufferings During
Seven Weeks.

WASHINGTON special of August u to the
Chicago Inter- Ocean, after stating that seven
weeks had elapsed the day before since the
President was shot, and that his chances for
recovery were not regarded as good as they
were two weeks before the date of the tele-
gram, says:
I" 1t is marvel how much the President
has endured, and if it had not been for his
immense physical strength he would GER
tainly have died weeks ago. The case will
pass into medical history as one OF the most
remarkable on record. The President was
shot at 1920 Il. M, July ,, and for four days
afterWard the physicians looked for the
| death OF the sufferer. On the 9th m
! proyement had been SO marked that
one OF the physicians advertised that
| the chances We're more than even for the
| Presidents recovery. From the 9Th until
| the sd OF July the pulse tluctuated between
IS and 10S. The temperature ranged be-
tween 9S and lo2.S, and the respiration be-
tween Is and a. On the 23d there was a
marked change for the worse in the Presi-
dents condition. He was attacked with
rigors. The pulse rose to 125, temperature
to l04 and respiration to &c. 1t was time
of great danger. The discharge of pus from
the wound ceased, and there were indiea-
tons Of the much dreaded pyHma. DR..
AgneW was summoned from Philadelphia,
and on the oath he made an incision
three inches below the orifce. open-
inc pus cavity and taking away bits of
bone which had accumulated in the track Of
the wound from the splintered rib The
m l.
ton, and it was The general opinion that he
would certainly recover. The precise loca-
ton Of the ball was determined on the 3Oth
inst. by the induction balance in the hands
OF its master, Professor Bell. On the It'll Ci
August indications Of the formation of an
other pus cavity were observed, and the day
following il second operation was performed
for the relief of the patient. When the first
lncision was made the President did not take
any anpsthetics. The pain was partially |
deadened by the application Of ether spray
to the body in the region of the wound. t
The patient had become so weak by his pro- !
tracted illness that ether was administered |
when the second operation was performed. |
A cut was made underneath the first incis-
ion and below the twelfth rib. Two ounces
Va ptiS "Cio 1iUIu tlb cut, anu q |
freer channel for the flow was made The
ether greatly retarded the Presidents prog
ress. His stomach, always delicate, re-
fusedt to receive the customary amount of
liquid, and vomiting and nausea We're fire.
quent. From the 9th to the 18th Of August
the pulse, temperature and respiration
were high, and on the day last mentioned
came what seemed to be an utter physical
collapse. The pulse run up to $50 and the
declined to normal, and even
below the normal point, indicating weak
ness. For few hours it was thought that
the President would surely die, and almost
all hope OF his recovery was abandoned.
The report was circulated abroad that he
had ceased to live, and obituary notices of
he President were published in the live
European papers. The patient slowly rail-
led, however, and since then the doctors
nave been devoting their personal attention
o the restoration of the tone of the
tomach.'