Democratic messenger., 1881-09-03
IN THE SICK ROOM.
Mrs. Garfield in Great Distress Thurs
day Evening, but Now Cheerful
AOain

Mrs. Garfield in Great Distress Thurs
day Evening, but Now Cheerful
Again.
DIR. Susan b. Edison, the President's
nurse, who has hitherto with buoyant
spirit asserted frequently that she knew
the President would recover, gave way
on Friday and said in despairing tone
that from what she saw of the President
last night she was fully convinced that
he was slowly dying. "Yet," she said
"while there is life there is hope but
in his case the life and hope are very
meagre. We shall keep him with us as
long as possible. but the time will be
short"
"From dark last evening until dawn
this morning." she continued, "he was
almost entirely unconscious. The only
clear moment he had was about mid
night, when he aroused somewhat and
recognized his wife by his bedside. In
weak and trembling whisper he said
"Crete. you had better go to your
room and get little rest
Mrs. Garfield asked to be allowed to
remain with him awhile longer. Then
he said in the same weak whisper:
II fear it is true that we must soon
be separated. Perhaps you had better
stay
"This was the hardest blow of all for
Mrs. Garfield. She tried hard to con-
troll her feelings, and in a measure sue
ceeded, but it was bitter trial Tor her.
The President sank back into his stupor,
and thus remained until before the
dressing of the wound this morning. At
4 o'clock the physicians attempted to
arouse him, but their attempts were I'M
successful. His stomach also troubled
him last night, and that made me give
up all hope"
Since the critical stage of Thursday
night Mrs. Edison has returned to the
White House, and at 81 o'clock Friday
evening gave the following statement of
the Presidents condition during the
day:
"When I left the President early this
morning he had that sallow, deathly
look which convinced me that he was
nearing the end. but upon my return at
8 o'clock noticed material change in
his appearance, which inspired me with
new hope. The deathly look had dis
appeared from his face, his cheeks were
flushed, and his general color, while
still pale, had more of a natural look.
His mind was quite clear all day Friday.
The sudden change for the better think
is due to the bursting of the gland, which
has discharged very freely, and has re-
lieved the Inflammation which was press
ing ON his brain during the night. He
has taken considerable nourishment with
a relish apparently. A very rich beef
mixture prepared by Mrs. Garfield was
administered to him. His pulse has
been high, but at no time reached over
120. had talked to him considerably,
at the suggestion of the physicians, who
feared that he might, if left quiet, drop
back into that stupor again. 1 asked
him if he had thought at any time that
his case might prove fatal, and he re-
piled that he had feared so from the
first"
A very great deal of effort was made
made all Friday to keep The President
awake. They feared to have him sleep,
and even preferred some excitement and
exhaustion from conversation rather
than that, being left alone. he should
fall asleep. They dreaded the approach
of stupor. Once Thursday night, or early
this morning, they were utterly unable
to awaken him, and for awhile there
were the gravest fears that he never
would come out of the stupor. The
relief which the breaking of the abscess
gave him lessened the tendency TO stu
por, but number of times during the
day he was drowsy, and they tried 20
fight it off. Under the influence of
stimulants on Friday evening they
do not fear to have him drop into sleep
as they did to-day. Mrs. Edison, Mrs.
Garfield, and one or two of the other
attendants and the physicians have fire.
quently stepped to his bedside and en-
tered into brief conversations with him
during the day, in order to arouse him.
He said himself, once, that he feared
his case was fatal, and that he had
feared it from the start.