The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-09-15
A Calm View of the Presidents Con-
5itioy,

A Calm View of the Presidents Con-
4 dition.
/ Col. A. X. Mcclure, editor of the Philadel-
phia Times, writing from Long Branch under
date of Sept. 18th, gives the following calm
and well stated view of the Presidents con-
dition and the hopes and fears involved in it
| The President has now been a little more
than five days at the seashore, and two of these
days covered the period of the week when his
fever and prostration have been most severe
He has not materially changed in strength,
and his general condition is regarded as rather
better because it is no worse and because he
was rescued from inevitable death and given
chance for recovery by his successful remov-
al The two visible signs of Improvement in
the President are furnished by his somewhat
increased appetite and his very slightly in
creased mental vigor but the plain truth is
that his food does not assimilate well and that
his mind gives way under the fever more or
less every day. The parotid inflammation has
been mastered and it has ceased to be source
OF alarm, but the wound is yet indolent for
want of vitality in the system, and the ball is
a cause of grave anxiety to the physicians
The lungs are not entirely free from the eff
4 fects of poisoned blood, and the fever contin-
\ ues to burn out his strength with each return
ing day.
DR.. Agnew says to-day, just what he has
uniformly and truthtully said all the time:
The Presidents case is by no means hope
less, but he is very sick man." He and Dr.
Hamilton fully appreciate the critical nature
of the case and they now feel that since the
Presidents safe removal from Washington
the chances for recovery have been much i'm
proved. But they cannot be quoted as prom
Using anything like certain recovery or even
early convalescence. The medical bulletins
are truthful rs tar as they go, and they go as
i far as the physicians could be warranted in
going under the circumstances, but they omit
many important phases of the case. The pulse
often rises ten or fifteen degrees from the
figures of the official bulletins during the day
and night and it is now an open secret that
the lungs are slightly affected by the poisoned
condition of the blood. 1t is not evident that
a serious abscess in the lungs is to follow, but
the danger is foreshadOwed and the safety of
the lungs is in maintaining sufficient vitality
to throw the yet Visible effects OF pyamia from
the system.
l have purposely presented all the dangers
of the Presidents case because the general
confidence in his speedy recovery that prevails
throughout the country is certain to be disap-
pointed even with the most favorable results.
If he shall recover it will be weeks and prob
ably months before Doctors Agnew and Ham
aton will pronounce him as reasonably out of
danger, and no one who is well advised as to
his actual condition and capable of intelligent
ly understanding the ordinary laws of cause
and effect can regard the chance for his re-
cOvery as an equal one. There is an element
Of rational hope in the case and that is all with
probabilities likely to be against his safety for
at least week or more even under the most
favorable circumstances.
The exaggerated reports of the Presidents
favorable condition which were current.and
generally accepted here on Wednesday even
ing and Thursday, were the results of the al
most delirium of Joy he felt because of his sue
cessful removal from what he regarded as the
chamber of death. 1t was most natural that
he should be so, and it was most natural that
those about him should gratefully give TO a
painfully anxious nation every pleasurable
emotion he experienced But it was the sight
of promised health in the dim and treacherous
future and not the assured possession of it,
and the great battle is going on from day to
day and through weary nights for the yet I'M
gained vantage ground against fever prostra-
ton, poisoned blood, suppurating wounds and
greatly impaired stomach and bowels. In
viewing this truthful picture of the Presidents
condition the nation will not lose sight Of the
silver lining to the cloud. There is warrant
for hope in his ultimate recovery after many
months of continued suffering, and to that
hope the people will cling with the faith and
prayers of love until the God of Nations shall
decide the ISSUE AKIN.