Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-01
ON THE WAY TO HEALTH.
THE PRESIDENT STEADILY PRO
CROSSING.
Another Good Day = He Receives
Extra NOurishment--LIke to be
Removed Soon Bow whisky
Saved HIm-HOpe Changing to
Confidence.

WASHINGTON, August 31.--The President
has passed very comfortable day, much
better day than Yesterday. To night his
condition is pronounced admirable by three
of the surgeons. He has made stride to-
wards recovery. This morning he chewed a
piece Of beefsteak and swallowed the Juice,
the nearest return to solid food for many
days.
The question Of his removal is again being
considered by the physicians. He will be
removed at the earliest possible moment
consonsnt with safety. The trip on the
Tallapoosa, while not wholly decided upon.
seems to be the one most favored and the
most likely to be adopted.
The only really new feature in the case is
the discovery, first noted by the President
himself tonight, that the wash used in the
gland found its way into the mouth. There
is no danger that pus will flow into the
mouth through that opening, the surge ons
say, because it is above the surface of sup
puration, and the pus will naturally flow
downward. At a late hour tonight the
Presidents favorable condition continued.
REVIEW OF THE DAY.
The improvement Of the President during
the past twenty four hours has been very
marked, and the feeling of hope, which has
been steadily growing since Saturday, is
now fast strengthened into feeling Of con-
fdence. The patient had quiet, restful
night, and his condition, as shown by
the official bulletin this mOrning, was much
better than Yesterday. The parottd swell
ing had decreased materially in size and
improved very much in appear
ance. The irritation caused
by it, and by the cutting and surgical
manipulation of It yesterday, had subsidized.
His pulse had fallen to leo, and all the
patients symptoms indicated a more de-
cided change for the better than even the
most sanguine of his friends had dared to
anticipate. Most of the members of the
Cabinet called at the Mansion, as
usual, soon after the appearance OF
the morning bulletin, but none made
a long stay, and some after reading the bull
letin went to the departments without en-
tering the Mansion at all. The only changes
which occurred in the Presidents condition
during the forenoon were in che direction Of
further Improvement. Toe parOttd swell
ing had diminished so much in size that the
patient couldi move his jaws with cOnsid-
erable facility and feeling this to be the case
he asked for little beefsteak. A small piece
was given him and he chew ed it and swal-
lowed the juice. He also swallowed the
usual quantity of beef extract and milk.
His pulse during the morning gradually fell,
until at noon 1t reached the lowest point it
has reached since the Sth of August,
viz: 50. This, together with the
other favorable features of the
noon bulletin, so far allaYed public
apprehension as to greatly diminish the
number of callers at the Mansion during
che afternoon, and the room of the Presi-
dents private secretary was practically de-
serted even by newspaper correspondents.
In interviews with a reporter Of the Asso-
ciated Press at different times during the
afternoon, DIR. Bliss made in substance the
following statement In regard to the Presi-
dents case: "The President to-day is de-
cidedly better. The parot.d swelling has
discharged very freely, and has been re-
duced to twc-thirds of its maximum size,
ard is still diminishing. | don't think
from its present appearance that any
more incisions will be necessary.
The wound is doing very well,
and good, healthy granulalions are
again visible. l cannot say that it is heal
ing rapidly. 1t could hardly be expected to
do that yet, but if we have few more days
as good as this. the process of healing will
90 on quite fast enough. The pus dis
charged by the wound is natural and
healthy. think the President has gained
a little since yesterday in strength.
When we turned him over on his
side to day to dress his wound
he voluntarily gave US some assistance, and
he had not done that before in good while.
1t is too soon to lock for decided gain in
strength. That will come at the proper
time. The question of removing the patient
from the White House is being seriously
considered again. He himself is anxious
to CO. and we are anxious to move him.
1t has not yet been decided whether his re-
moval can be made more advantageOuslyb by
water or by rail. Each method has some
disadvantages. The ocean air would, have
no doubt, do him good, but he could not
stand a heavy sea. On the other hand,
l think that IN a specially suit
ed car he could be moved
without danger by rail. His own wish is to
90 to Mentor, and ultimately he will, doubt
less, be taken there. But his first removal
will, probably, be to some near point. He
will be taken somewhere at the earliest
moment compatible with perfect safety,
aud If he has few more as good days as
this has been, that time will not be very
remote. The patient has taken about
the same amount of food to-day as hereto
fore, but its character has been more varied.
He chewed piece of beefsteak and swal-
lowed the Juice this morning, and had a
plateful of soup at three o'clock this after
nooa, in addition to beef extract and milk,
which We give him regularly. Later
in the day or tomorrow morn
ing we snail let him have
some oyster broth and more milk toast.
We continue to administer stimulating enc
mata, six teaspoonfuls of whisky every four
hours, and attribute largely to this feature
of the tire ltment the recent improvement in
his condition.
81 have received a number Of letters to-
day commenting unfavorablY upon our use
of alcoholic stimulants in this case, but the
writers never having seen the patient are not
qualified to judge as to the wisdom of the
measures which we have taken. During
the recent period of exhaustion any reduc
ton in the quantity Of whisky given was fol-
lowed promptly by a warning of danger
in the shape of a hlgn, feeble and fuc-
tuating pulse. 1t was largely by
stimulants that he was kept up during the
worst stages OF glandular Inflammation"
In conclusion, DIR. Bliss said that he was
perfectly satisfied with the progress which
the President had made to-day. There was
no material change in the patients cOndi-
ton this afternoon until about four O'Clock.
He chewed another piece OF beefsteak, swal
lowing the juice as before, and had four
ounces of oyster broth, which he greatly
relished. His pulse rose gradually after
four o'clock, and at the evening eXamina-
tiou stood at IO9. There was, however, no
noticeable increase OF temperature, and all
the other symptoms continued favorable.
Since the evening bulletin his pulse has
fallen again to 104, and will, 1t is thought,
be below 100 by midnight.
In an interview with reporter OF the AS
sociated Press this evening, DR.. ReYburn, in
reply to questions, said that no importance
whatever should be attached to the fact,
mentioned in the $50 bulletin, that the
gland has made an opening spontaneously
into the mouth. No pus has found
its way through this opening,
will. for the reason that lit can
escape much more easily through the exter
nal outlets. The opening into the mouth
is about the middle of the cheek, and in the
position In which the patient lies the most
of the time. There are two or three external
openings lower down, which draw all the
pus from the part Of the gland with which
the mouth is in communication. No
danger whatever, of any kind,
is apprehended from this new
feature of the glandular suppurStion. The
nus. DR.. Reyburn says, is not likely to get
into the mouth, and, even II it should, 1t
would do no harm. At this hour, 1l:3O
D. m, the Presidents pulse is nearly down
again to 100. His temperature and respirs-
ton are normal and his condition is as salts
factory as at an time during the day.
STEADY GROWTH OF CONFIDENCE.
1O:45 A. NJ. Unofficial Bulletin. THE
surgeons regard the Presidents condition
this morning with increased satisfaction
and encouragement. The parotid swelling
has steadily improved in appearance, and it