St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-09-24
The Abscess III the Presidents Lung.

A Long Branch special of the 18th to the
Chicago Tribune says:
s. The raging fever that the President has
had all day is now explained He has UNI
dOubtedly an abscess in the right lung.
There have been apprehensions for three
weeks that the lung might be affected, and
this apprehension has been growing into Il
certainty for the last three days. To day
the evidences Of an absceSS are so strong
that the physicians practically admit to-
night that such gathering has formed. DR..
Bliss calls it local lobular Inflammation,
and says that it is not necessarily very dam
gerous; but there is the greatest danger
that it will develop pypmia, if it is not
itself result of pyamia. The President
has been coughing good deal since he has
been here, and in fact for several days be-
fore he came. The physicians thought this
might be due to local Inflammation Of the
bronchial tubes, and they recognized the
danger of such an inflammation going down.
ward. When to-day, in addition to the
cough, the President raised a good deal Of
mucus, and it was discovered that in this
mucus was quantity Of pus of most un-
healthy character, no further room for
doubt remained. The situation thus be-
comes very critical again-so critical that
one OF the physicians frankly admits that,
while there is still chance Of recovery, it
is, he fears, a slight one. The Cabinet were
informed this evening of this new COM
pllcation. They We're not surprised, for
they have known Of the apprehension,
but the announcement has caused great de-
spondency. When Attorney General Mac
Neagh was informed of the new complca-
ton he said that he was almost compelled
to give up the hopes he had begun to enter
tain for the recovery of the President. The
Cabinet, on account of this unfayorable
news. have postponed until late in the week
their proposed trip to the White Mountains,
and may altogether abandon it. The prog
ress OF this new complication may be slow,
and may be overcome II is not necessarily
fatal, although grave, situation. Even
should pynmia result from it, there might
still be chance for recovery, but it causes
the eleventh week to be entered upon
with the greatest anxiety.
" DR.. Pancoast, the eminent surgeon Of
Philadelphia whom it was proposed to call
49, ooii"oi.''A'h, HSlt. iuu silu iO-HlguL
that this latest development pointed I'M
mlstakabIy to py1mic condition of the
blood. 1t Is metastatic abscess, and brings
on another crisis Of the most dangerous
character 1t is not necessarily fatal
symptom, but is of course a new element
OF great danger. 1t will interfere with his
breathing, will be new source Of loca, pain,
Will cause fever, and will necessitate addi-
tlonal operations. The pus can be drawn
OIL from the lungs and cleared out thor
oughly by washing through an incision
which will have to be made. All
this, OF course, involves new suffering
and exhaustion, and even then there
IS no certainty of clearing the system. The
trouble is in the py;emic condition OF the
blood, OF which these successive assesses
are merely symptoms. 1t was to get pure,
nourlshlng air, SO as to assist Nature in
throwing off this poison, that the patient
was brought to the seaboard. The air in
this locality is very favorable for one in his
condition, except that there is some risk
from the moisture. But this was not enough
TO justify them in remaining away on that
account. The Doctor further said that,
While be did not re lard the outlook as hope
less, the situation was rather critical He
spoke in high terms of the surgeons in
charge, and praised them for their nerve
and hopefulness, which he said was part of
their duty.D