Morning journal and courier., 1881-09-20
THEBLOW FALLS President Garfield Numbered
 With The Dead. The Nation in Mourning. Closing Scenes in the SOr- rOwful Tragedy. STRICKEN ONES AT THE BEDSIDE. Hope Almost to the
 Last Moment. CONSCIOUS TO THE END. Last Words of the Dying
 President.
 The Vice President Summoned To Take the Oath of Office.
To Take the Oath of Office.
THE PRESIDENT.

THE PRESIDENT.
 l ter Sunday Night-The Doctors Clutch. ! ing at Strnws-The Fatal Ri8ors Do tn he l Work-The Closing Struggle With Death-A Brave but FruitIess Rally. LONG BRANCH, N. J., Sept. 19.-The anxi- ety in regard to the Presidents condition caused by the rigor on Saturday was intensi
 fled by the recurrence of rigors last evening and to-day. While the physicians said en- phatically that there was no evidence of an abscess in the lungs, nor of any other new complications, the fact that the patient did not gain any strength aud had very little vii tality left with which to withstand the strain of the repeated chills, furnished the gravest apprehensions that he could not long survive. In his state of weakness the rigors were liable to recur every twenty four hours. and unless some marked change took place it was evi- dent that they must gradually wear out his remaining strength. The condition of the patient during Sunday night was very discouraging chill lasting fifteen minutes came on Sunday evening and the febrile rise and profuse sweating which followed and lasted till mid night was necessarily very exhausting. This morning the pulse was slower but feeble, and the repetition of the chill at S:3O left little ground for encouragement The chill lasted about fifteen minutes and was followed by a febrile rise and sweating, indications of ex- treme weakness. Since morning he slept considerable, and at the noon examination his pulse recorded 1O4, and temperature 98.2. While the physicians appeared to have al most abandoned hope, they did not expect death to occur immediately, and even went so far as to give encouragement during the day and early evening that the President might yet rally and pull through.
 ALL HOPE NOT YET ABANDONED.
 Dr. Hamilton was asked at p. m to state to the reporter of the National Associated Press the actual condition of the President. He replied: 'sHis condition is steadier, if I may use that word.'' ''Rave you abandoned hope of his recovery, Doctor?'' ''None of us have abandoned hope, sir, replied the doc tor.
 DIR. BLISS DIAGNOSIS or THE CASE.
 Dr. Bliss has dictated the following as the diagnosis of the Presidents case After he was wounded the limited area of traumatic trouble in the lower portion of the lobe of the right lung was formed, being due to hy- postatic congestion. This was caused by proximity to the inhamed diaphragm perfor- ated by the bullet, the inflammation being aggravated by it's nearness to the fractured rib. This congestion increased in intensity, although not in area, owing to the long con- tinued recumbent position of the President.
 There was no difficulty in breathing and no oo1Oh Qt that lime nnfi1 fha roarotiA trouble. When the latter became aggravated pus from the gland found it's way into the mouth and the coughing efforts to throw it of being continuous induced an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the mouth.
 The pus continuing to cause this cough the inflammation extended to the throat. then to the larynx and thence to the bronchial tubes downward. This inflammation natur- ally extended to the right because the pa tient nearly all the time lay on that side, and when the inflammation reached the neighbor hood of the afflicted lung it was naturally mortal in that direction. During all this time the septic condition of the blood was doing it's work. When the lung and bronchial in Hammation at last met they found deranged and enfeebled system at a very low grade. Still the blood lesions were all regaining at this time and the conjunction of the two infammations came at the best oppor- tunty for the dissemination of the combined e of the united troubles. The healing of the lesions was stopped at about this time, and the repairing process, too. We do not know yet whether the result has been deposit of pus in the lungs If any pus is now in the right lung it is not indicated and the deposit must have occurred in the last three or four days. The amount would be very small. If there was not innutrition the patient would be able to resist all these causes even yet but there is innutrition. The healing process is stopped and the blood cannot furnish the constituents of repair. There is nothing to build on or even to support what vitality is still left. and that is being continually drawn on and diminished.
 GENERAL SWAIN SEES SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT. General Swain early in the evening made the following statement to reporter: '1 have been with the President great deal during the past twenty-four hours and I am of opinion that his condition tonight is very much improved to what it was in the morn ing. This is my own judgment based entire ly on what have seen of the President and uninfuenced by what others may say. In the first place his mind is clear, very much clearer than it was then or than it has been for some time. This think is due to the increase of vitalized blood, which is nourish- ment to the brain"