Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-07-15
THE PRESIDENTS CONDITION,
Slow but Steady improvement.

to the conclusion that the President is max
ing as satisfactory progress toward recovery
as could be expected. Last Saturday, which
was regarded by physicians as one of the
most critical crisis days in his case was pass
ed without the development of alarming
symptoms, and general feeling of confidence
in the Presidents steady improvement and
rapid recovery came to be entertained.
This feeling Of cheerfulness received pain
full shock and setback ON Tuesday when the
fact became known that on Monday evening
the President was in high fever and that
he was weak, restless and somewhat despond-
ent. Later dispatches, however, have brought
the assurance from his physicians that this
high fever with other unfavorable symptoms
were only incidents such as are to be expect
ed in the progress of the Presidents case
The following dispatches indicate the gem
eral tenor of the dispatches since Monday:
The Record Since Monday.
WASHINGTON, July 12.-It was not until to-
day that the very critical condition of the
President yesterday evening and last night
was realized The physicians themselves ad-
init that they were alarmed, as the external
causes which were assigned as the explana-
ton of the marked increase of fever were not
sufficient. There were grave fears that a
pus cavity was forming, or that some unfor-
seen complication had arisen, and it was Sc
riously considered during the afternoon
whether it would not be expedient to tele-
graph for the consulting physicians Agnew
and Hamilton to come to Washington. The
temperature began to drop, however, in the
early evening and the apprehensions we're
somewhat allayed, although it was deemed
necessary for two physicians to remain con-
stantly in the sick room during the night and
to watch every movement of the patient
even while he was sleeping. The sleep, too
was not as good as usual. 1t was fitful and
feverish The maps were all short and the
President was very restless, and person who
was in the sick chamber says respondent.
One of the most eminent medical officers
attached to the Government service, who has
carefully studied the case and who attended
the original consultation, took occasion to
personally inform himself last night as to the
actual condition of the President, and to go
behind the returns of the official bulletins
The result was that this surgeon expressed
the opinion that the increase in temperature
was probably due to the fact that what he
called circunscribed peritonits had set in,
that the Inflammation of the peritoneal region
in the vicinity of the ball had commenced,
and that the safety of the President would de-
pend upon the ability of the physicians to
keep the Inflammation within the circum-
scribed limits.
1t is also ascertained that the President is
growing weaker, that he is very much weak
err than the public have supposed. He can
scarcely turn his hand, and cannot lift his
foot, and it is with the utmost difficulty that
he can partially raise his head. Said one of
the physicians tonight: ''You could not ex-
pect the President to be strong He has now
been in bed ten days. He has taken COM
paratively little nourishment, particularly in
solid food, and of course is weak"
Those were the unfavorable conditions
which existed last night, but which, fortunate
ly, in great measure disappeared this morn
ing, the temperature and pulse having fallen
to very nearly the same condition which they
have maintained in the morning for some
days.
Wednesday, Despatches---A Very
Gratifying Improvement.
WASHINGTON, July 13.-At no previous
time have the Presidents physicians spoken
SO hopefully or carried in their demeanor
such convincing evidence of their sense of re-
lief from their weight of apprehension. Dr.
Bliss came out of the sick-room at half
seven o'clock this evening, bearing the bull
letin of that hour. He said that his patient
was Enthusiastically better, and' in reply to a
direct inquiry, he said that the day had been
the most favorable one, all things considered,
that the President had experienced. His ap-
petite was good for one in his condition and
food assimilated well, creating no disturb
ance. The action of the bowels was normal
and satisfactory. The patient was stronger
fboV, haratofnro l.
degree of ease, and even crossing his lower
limbs without help when he desired to do SO
to rest himself. DIR. Bliss expressed the opin-
ion that the bullet had passed through the
liver, and was now lodged in the anterior
wall of the abdomen. A swelling had been
noticed in front, being black and blue at first,
but it had subsidized and finally disappeared.
This probably marked the location of the
ball, the discoloration being the result of the
blow. If this theory proves correct the ex-
traction of the bullet will be comparatively
simple affair, although its extraction is not a
matter of absolute necessity.
Three hours later DIR. Bliss said that if he
could have been assured a week ago that the
case would progress precisely as it has pro-
crossed, and that the President would be as
well tonight as in reality he is, he would
have been more than satisfied, and could not
reasonably have asked for anything better.
'"There have been no indications, no said,
''of secondary hemorhage of py@mia or of
any dangerous complication. The suppur-
alton is progressing naturally, the wound
presents healthy appearance, the patient
takes and assimilates nourishment as well as
could be desired, and his sleep is quiet and
refreshing The crisis in surgical fever is or
dinarily passed on the tenth or eleventh day,
when suppuration is fully established. This
we believe was the case Monday night, when
the patients temperature reached its highest
point. Since that time the daily fluctuations
have been less and less extreme, until to-
night the pulse barely reached the maximum
of 100" Upon being questioned with regard
to the Presidents reported weakness and de-
bility, DR.. Bliss said ''There is no danger
to be apprehended from weakness. The
President is no weaker than any man would
be with such an injury and after such fe-
yer. He is day by day taking more and more
nourishment, and although it consists prinei-
pally of milk it is well assimilated and amply
sufficient TO maintain his strength until he is
in condition to take solid food"
New York, July 13.-Dr. Hamilton said
to-day that the public was wrong to get ex-
cited or apprehensive over the ups and downs
in the presidents condition. Fluctuations in
his pulse and temperature meant nothing Sc
rious and were to be expected. 1t must be
remembered that be is very weak and has
been in bed ten days without moving-enough
to make most active men feverish. So long
as there were fluctuations there need be no
anxiety; when there were no fluctuations but
steady increase of alarming symptoms, then
it would be time to be anxious The least
thing was apt to make patient in the presi-
dents condition better or worse. Too much
noise, too much talking, the heat, were all
sufficient to increase the fever; ''but," said
DR.. Hamilton, ''you can say that am hope
full for the best, and consider the president on
the way to recovery How long a time may
be required for convalescence, no one can tell
1t may be long before the ball can be got out
and probably until it is out he will be troubled
by it. Assesses will be likely to form, and
after discharging, form again, thus draining
his strength. At the same time, as l have
said twenty times for the last ten days ball
naW rUnA into. e Al