Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-09-19

Ioxe B.AxcH, Sept. Is


There we're great fears early this morning
that r;oor would occur and in order to obviate
r.. deyelopement the attending surgeons or
dered applications of hat cloth. which proved
4 successful treatment There were indica
lions of cooling of the extremities but the mai
applicstions brought on an increase OF tenn
persture and the GOODNESS gradually wore
avav without producing the chill. HAD the
rigor occurred this morning the trouble. It Is
thought, would have been a very serious one
As the patient was extremely enfeebied. =,
DIR. Hamilton went home tonight and WIZ
return TUESDAY, Col. Corbin also LEFT TINS
evening for Washington. With the exception
of the renewed effort employed to keep the
temperature from falling below the normal
range the day was uneventful. notwitnstano-
ing the comparatively favorable condnion OF
.be patient noted in the evening bulletin,
boweyer. in less than an hour after its is
suance another rigor occurred lasting about
ten minutes. In comparison with the one
Yesterday it was light. though as Bliss re-
marks tonight il was severe enough.
Roynton tonight said, do not think the
low pulse and temperature of last night and
this morning are favorable indications. Low
pulse and temperature, sound sleep and free
| dom from cough and expectoration were IN
dications of a very low state OF vitality ana
cannot be considered favorable symptoms.
| n he GROWS stronger there v i'll be a rise in
| the mise and temperature and his cough and
expectoraiion will return.
As TO the chiils, it is possibly they are
merely a reflex of the Presidents low state
of vitality, but in probability they are the re-
suit of the suppuration process gong on IN
some part of the body. Probably 1t IS an
extension of the lung trouble. The aocess
| =. =. InS. non
abcess: it occurs in the course blood poison
ing. or rather as a complication. 1t is one
of the most frequent complications of chron-
ic pvemia. Ii begins as tabular conges-
ton. Each labule of the lung is about the size
of pins head. The labules become con-
gested, and after time, suppurate and form
| as many small abcesses. BY and by, this
| congestion extends to the surrounding lab
ules, which in turn suppurate, forming
other small abcesses.
| If the patient lives long enough, these
minute abcesses open into each other. form
! ing pus sacs about the size of a hens egg.
That portion of the lung containing these
abcesses becomes consolidated or hepatized.
portion of the Presidents right lung.
reaching up to the sixth rib, is now CONSOLE
dated. 1t is not true that stated last night
that the Presidents case was hopeless. l
sdlu MS Ease was eNtTeuiciN StitiSai uut NV
hopeless. My opinion tonight is the same
as last night For several weeks he
has at times made satisfactory improvement,
but in each instance the improvement has
been followed by relapse. which has left
him on lower plane of vitality than before.
This feature of his case is peculiar to most
eases of chronic pyaemia. The President
has wonderful constitution. but doubtful if
it is sufficient to carry him on to recovery.
Bliss said the chill this evening was of about
ten minutes duration, and what might be
called quite chill, the patient suffering con-
Fsiderably from its effects. That no vomiting
occurred, and that he experienced reaction
Immediately after the rigor subsidized by the
appearance of fever. The Doctor said the
rigor NAV have been due to local causes, but
if so, they were not manifest think the
recurrence due to the enfeebled condition of
the patient, the depraved condition of the
fluids, together with the local sores are sufi-
cient to produce chills.
1t is probable that another chill may occur
during the night. The dizziness of the lung
has not extended. Coughing been very slight
to-day. 1t is reasonable to expect the recur-
renee of rigors every twenty-four hours. II
has been fearful fight and you on the out
side have no idea of it.