The Russellville Democrat., 1881-08-04
THE PRESIDENTS CONDITION.
The Situation as Cleaned from the Best Sources as to His Present and
 Prospective Condition.
DR. BLISS INTERVIEWED.

An associated press agent has had an interview with Dr. Bliss. He said: "The President has had generally speaking, very quiet and comfortable day There has been no recurrence of rigor, and up to D. m. he was entirely free from fever At that hour, however, the daily febrile rise began, and continued until the evening examination, when the pulse reached about it's maxium of 1l0 beats, and the temperature height of l01.S de- grees. Since then both have slowly but steadily fallen This febrile is usual after the noon fever which the patient had all of last week, and al though it is a little more strongly marked to-day than it was previous to the formation of the pus cavity on Saturday, it does not in the Judgment of the surgeons point to any disturbance or indi- cate any unfavorable change It will probably subsde entirely before midnight. The nourish- ment given to-day consisted of milk, beef extract and little toast, and was sufficient in quantity to fully maintain the patients strength. No ano- dynes were administered through the day, but the usual hypodermic injection of about one eight of a gram oi suiphate or morphia was given after the dressing of the wound this evening There has been a fairly copious discharge of nus from the new incision, made yesterday. and its character has been perfectly healthy About two and half tablespoonfuls were obtained when the wound was dressed this morning, And an equal quantity tonight besides that taken up by absorbent cotton during the day. slight pres sure upon the front wall of the abdomen in creases the outflow, and for that reason the amount discharged during examinations is much greater than that which flows out naturally in intervening intervals of time. The track of the ball is now open to observation, through the new ineision, as far to the point where It passes be- tween the flDS anu WHeu pressure IS brought to bear uponshe abdomenpus may be seen yelling out from the deeper part ofthe wound. Communl, cation between the mouth oft the old wound and that of the new incisiQn is still maintained by through one end and out through the other and which at every examination is cleared of pus by stream of carbolized water from a fountain syringe. In reply to a question. Dr, Bliss said that there is possibility of the formation of an other pus cavity, although there is no reason at present to expect it. because the discharge is now and Slpnld hnWaypr cavity form, it's existence would be at once ind- cated by general constitutional disturbance which 1t would cause. There is no danger he said, Of formation of q pus cavity without an accompani ment of warning signals such as haggard and de pressed expression of face, larger and greatly in creased fever. Those symptoms would at once show the nature of disturbing influence"
 Upon being asked whether the blood could he poisoned by the ,reabsorption of pusa from hid pus is not taken up by the blood and eannat con, taminate; 1t Is only when pus becomes disorgan- ized and diseased thatt isTeabsorbed as to cause py@mia The President has never nt any time had symptom of py@mia, and the period dur ing which that complication is likely to occur is now nearly passed. Py@mia generally manifests itself before the end of the fourth woek Ii at all We have no especial reason to apprehend 1t in this case, and there has certainly been no indi- cation of 1t as yet"
 Dr. Bliss attention was then called 10 the fact that five of the employees at the Executive Man sion are suffering from malarial fever or from malaria in some of its forms, due to the con
 
 the question was asked him whether the Presi- dept was not to some extent similarly affected, and whether the apparent periodicity of the afternoon fever did not indicate maarlal infu- ence
 He replied that no symptoms of malaria had been observed in the Presidents case and thai the regular recurrence of his fever bet 9een D. m. and midnight Is due to other causes, and that the surgical fever Is always the highest in the afternoon and evening and lowest in the morn. ing. About ten grains of quinine he said, had been given to the President daily for the past two weeks but this had been done rather to tone u,i his nervous system than to counteraei any sup posed influence of malaria
 Dr. Bliss was then questioned with regard to the result of Professor Bells recent experiments with the induetion balance and their bearing upon the Presidents case. He said he under stood the experiments had been reasonably sue cessful and that Professor Bell had been able to locate ball inbedded in the flesh at a depth of about two inches. He hoped the method would prove to be practicable and valuable but no an- plcation of 1t to the Presidents case would he made at present. If the ball should become a source of disturbance and danger, a contingency whieh he did not apprehend. 1t might be worth while, even in the Presidents present condition to the induction balance as a means of definitely locating it, but as long the ball gives no trou. ble it's exact location is not matter of vital im- portanee; it can be found at q later day when inc President shall have grown better and stronger In reply to the questions with regard to the Presi dents physieal strength Dr Bliss said "Ile is of eoptse, weak, but not so weak us seems to he Reierally supposed. He moves his arms and legs pretty freely, can help himself In turning over and by clasping his hands around the neck of one of his attendants he can support part Of his is still firm and strong In conclusion, Dr. Bliss expressed entire satisfaction with the condition of the President tonight and renewed confidence in his ultimate reeoyerY