River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-08-25
The Wounded President.

train and says he talked very encour-
agingly of the presidents chances.
Previous to leaving the Mansion, DR..
Agnew had talk with Mrs. Garfield
and informed her that he felt perfectly
secure in being temporarily absent,
and that if ali emergency should occur
he could easilT be summoned, etc.
At this hour lie president is resting
quietly. About three-quarters of an
hour ago, he took small quantity OF
koumiss which was given him by his
wife. Up to this time no bad effects
have been experienced from it and the
patient is now sleeping.
BLAINEs DISPATCH.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1S.-The follow
ing was sent this afternoon:
To LOaUeA, London:
At 2 o'clock this afternoon the presi-
dent shows a slight improvement in
his power to retain and digest food,
but his general condition is not reas-
surfing. BLAINE.
THE DAY REVIEWED.
WASHINGTON, Aug 18.-This morn
ins's bulletin showed that the president
was better, and it was received with
great satisfaction. The bulletin figures
were back to where the president was
before the last operation, when he was
regarded as convalescing. The i'm
proved condition seemed to keep up
after the morning dressing. After 10
O'Clock, Col. Rockwell said the presi-
dent was better in every respect. About
IL o'clock, DIR. Bliss said there was o
visible improveme nt; that the stomach
was stronger and better; up to that
hour liquid nourishment had been
given several times and it was retained
without producing any nausea, The
fact that the president enjoyed a pretty
good nights rest was considered as
favorable symptom. There was
great anxiety to see the midday bull
letin which was issued nearly an hour
later than usual. This delay in issu-
ing the bulletin caused a feeling of
alarm, as heretofore whenever there
has been delay, it was because some
thing had been wrong. The bulletin
when issued was as follows, and its
guarded language added to the general
uneasiness:
The president is suffering some dis
comfort from commencing infiamma-
ton in the right parotid gland; in
other respects his condition is some
what improved, and especially his
stomach is becoming less intolerant.
THAT INFLAMED GLAND.
The surgeons saying in the bulletin
that inflammation is commencing, is
construed by many to mean that they
expect further Inflammation. This
new complication of the case has arisen
this morning since DR.. Agnew left,
and it annoys the surgeons. The
gland infamed is the large conglomer-
ated salivary gland under the ear.
UNEAsINEss.
Considerable anxiety was exhibited
about 1890 on account CT the slight de-
lay in the noon bulletin. The contents
of the bulletin, when it was read in
Private Secretary Browns room, at
1:15, did not allay the anxiety,
because of the announcement it con-
tanned in reference to the Inflammation
of the parotid glands, and until assur-
ances of the consulting and attending
surgeons were obtained to the contrary,
great apprehension was felt that serious
complications have been encountered.
DIR. Hamilton was the first of the sur
geonsapplied to regarding the infiamed
glands, but beyond the statement that
it was nothing of serious character
the doctor was disinclined to talk. He
intimated he could not explain the af-
Fiction to non-professionals in the brief
time he had at his disposal, and left with
the remark that it was nothing to cause
alarm. When DR.. Bliss left the mansion
at 2:45 he was met at the front entrance
by several members Of the press and his
attention called to the various rumors
which have been circulated since the
midday bulletin was issued, in connec-
ton with the inflammation of the pres
ident's parotid gland. These rumors
were to the effect that it was an indica-
ton of py@mia, low fever, and other
complications of more or less serious
nature; also that modification had set
in. The doctor said it was very curl
Gus to him, that in view of the fact that
pyemia was such a specific disease,
some people will insist that the presi-
dent has it, while the attend
ing surgeons have thus far
been unable i'll discovering any
indication of it whatever. This inflam-
nation the doctor continued is nothing
unusual in cases where patients have
become debilitated l have seen it
many times in cases of gun shot
wound.
''Then it is not pyemia ?"
"Oh, no."
'1s it an indication of fever. Typhoid
or otherwise ?"
mot at all, sir. 1t is an affection
which need not cause the slightest
alarm"
The doctor with this remark got into
his carriage and drove off, The assur-
ances of the attending surgeons were
placed on the newspaper bulletin boards
throughout the city and car
ried by one person to another
to such an extent during the
early afternoon that the extreme
anxiety occasioned by the announce
ment of the fact diminished very con-
siderably before night. Gen. Swain
says inasmuch as the president has re-
tanned the koumiss he has taken to-
day, his stomach is proven to be gradu-
ally strengthening. This being the case
in his opinion the crisis has been
passed, and he will continue to improve.
Early this evening DR.. Reyburn was
asked his opinion of the presidents
condition. He answered: "He is do
ing very we'll"
''Does he experience much incon-
venience from the inflammation re-
ferred to in the noon bulletin" o
''He has considerable pain in his
neck which is the result of the infiamed
gland"
"Well, doctor, what is the cause of
this inflammation. How do you ex-
plain it p
at is the result of extreme debility"
''Do not similar symptoms manifest
themselves in typhoid fever?"
Inflammation of the parotid gland
also frequently occur in cases where
the patients are in a state of excessive
debility, or from other causes"
HAS the president taken nourish-
ment at all during the day."
eyes; he has been taking koumiss in
small quantities all day."
Has he experienced any trouble in
retaining it,"
"None whatever"
At the time of this interview, previous
TO the issuance of the evening bulletin,
the patients pulse, although not taken
accurately, was not thought to be any
higher than when the noon bulletin