The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-08-18
THE PASr VEw DAYS.


WAsHISoroN, August l7.-Further 10.
formation is necessary before the history
oi the last few days Of the Presidents
case can be written. The following 70.
view will touch on some Of the salient
points Of the case, Gastric disturbance
may be traced back, perhaps, to the second
surgical operation q week ago. Ether was
then given, and ils natural effect was 10
make the patient sick at the stomach. The
doctors were not ignorant, OF course oil
this action Of the drug, but decided that its
use was advisable. The operation waD long
and painful, aud the Presidents nervoua
condition was not 90 good as II had been
at the lime Of the previous inCiSion. II
was said that the surgeons were Influenced
In their treatment somewhat by a hint
from the patient that be feared he could
not stand much pain.
The operation was, from q surgical
standpoin', entirely sucCessiul. Complete
and easy dTainage Was established, and
the wound has discharged, with but one
slight retention, In d satisfactory manner
eyer since. For some reason, however,
tpe pulse and fever which had preceded
the operation were not blnished by II, A
temporary fever was expected, and no ap-
prehension was felt when II was found 10
remain even 90 late In the week 10 Thurs.
day. The inquiries we're anxiously made
% to the cause Of this continuing disturb.
ance, and 1t was learned that the trouble
lay In the extreme debility OF the patient,
The President hes been falling In strength
Tor weeks, His stomach seemed unable 10
cope with the duty assign ed II 90 one Of
the recuperative agencies, and Il had
shown fresh symptoms Of revolt since the
violent disturbance brought on by the use
ot the opiate. Il may truthiully be said,
perhaps, that bis stomach has never fully
recovered It's proper tone since that oper.
alton. Az any rate the President suffered
more or less from irritabllity OF the Btom.
ach oil last week until, toward the end,
the doctors recognised The possibility ol
the approach of the present crisis, and
made preparations 10 meet II. Il was mol
thought wise, however, To alarm the pub,
lie III advance, and perhaps unnecessarily.
Sunday was very bad day. The Pres.
ident slept poorly The night before having
been disturbed BY adistressing nightmare.
This indicated bad stomach aud
mole definite Symphonic were uuiortu.
nalely 'ot lacking He yomiIed consider.
ably during the day and failed again 10 Rel
the rest iI the night which followed.
Even light and simple food given him dur.
Ing the day had been rejected, and the ir.
ritabillty continued aud produced te,chiba
even alter the stomach was emptied. H.
thus began the week unfavorably, The
bulletihs on Sunday had been exceedingly
meagte aud nonCommlttal The phyLi
clanS we're studying the case and did mol
wish TO express opinions until they could
be natutsd.
But on Monday morning the bulletin
WAS full and ear in lie abatement oil more
tinlavorable symptoms. The natural con.
sequence was wide spread alarm. An.
other CrieiS was evidently apptoachihe
and the latest Indications were eagerly
sought. All through the early part oi The
day, however, the doctors and personal
attendants gave out tsas.ufing views, and
1t WAS net until The publication Of the
evening bulletin that the critical ature OIL
tue case became knoAn Even 90 late a.
four o'clock, Dr. Agbew assured Mrs
Garfield that she need feel no alarm. Al
niue O'Clock II became his duty 10 inform
her that She must prepGfe TO face The
probable contingency Of her husbands
death. She bore the announcement with
her customary iofIiIude, and even theh
ard through The anxious hours oi tht
night Ghd tnjfnlhg her faith has been tri
iilnpAAut over her feats. She believes Lht
Pfesident will gsL we'll, and to-day there
are many who stand by her in tbis trus'