New-York tribune., 1881-08-31
PRESIDENT GARFIELD.

SWOLLEN CHEEK AND TO THE PATIENTS WEAK
NEss-THs SYMPTOMS IN GENERAL sArlsFAc-
TORY TO TIE PHYSICIANS-A DAY OF SOME
PROGRESS .
I'm his evening dispatch to Minister Lowell
yesterday, Secretary Blaine summarized the
situation in the Presidents sick-rOOm, when he
said: "The President, if not rapidly advanc-
ing, is at least holding his own" Some unea-
siness was cause,, by the high pulse of the
patient in the afternoon, but the physicians
were not disturbed. They said the rise was
due to an incision made in the swollen cheek,
and to the general feebleness of the patient.
The views of the various physicians i'll regard
to the medical and surgical aspects of the
Presidents case, rs expressed to TRIBUNE
correspondent, are given at length herewith.
THE SITUATION VERY ENCOURAGING.
THE PATIENT GAISING-ANOTHER INCIsIoN MADE
IN THE SWELLING UPON THE FACE WITH GOOD
REsULTs-PULsE ACCELERATED BY THE oP RA-
TIoN-PROGRESs NECESSARILY TO BE SLOW
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PHYSICIANS.
IBY TELEGRAPH TRIBUYE.i
wAsHIxGroN Aug 3O.-"The President has
neld his to-day" say the cheerful gossips. He
has only held his to-day" say the doubling ones
In neither is the whole tru told The President
has perhaps not gained materially in weight or in
physical strength. 1t easy to fill sound cask by
this instance there are leaks which must first be
repaired. The President has been gaining to-day;
days progress has been made in the healing of the
wound, and in the softening and subsldence of the
swollen cheek. No one should expect an increase of
physical strength at this stage of the His
stomach has been performing its functions in a sat
isfactory manner, and no new weakness or disorder
has manifested itself The brain retains its normal
clearness. A new incsion made this morning
into the inflammation upon the parotid gland,
and the matter discharged from it satisfactory,
both in character ant quantity. Renewed anxiety
was created by the rise in the fever symptoms.
they disclosed by the morning aud noon bull
letns but the Presidents physicians asserted with
out reserve that anxiety unnecessary and that
all was going well. They said that the fluctuations
were necessary accompaniments of progress in dis
orders of this kind and that speedy subsistence
was to be expected The evening bulletin proved
to be fulflment of their predictions. The pulse,
which had reached 116 at noon, had subsidized to
110, while the temperature and respiration
pared favorably with evenings in the recent past
which had been accounted good evenings. All
seen tn be going well with the President aud the
most favorable of the predictions which have been
made in regard to him since he shot may be
repeated to nieht with entire safey.
At 9 o'clock this evening DIR. Bliss out of
che sick room, where he had been for few moments
after his return from his evening ride
How is your patient tonight, Doctor'" was
che first inquiry addressed to him.
" He has passed better day than yesterday ir
spite of the intense heat"
Have you varied the treatment any today 7"
"NO, except that have resumed stimulating
enemata we have been obliged to do this. The
effect has been seen to-day in the improved pulse
and temperature He has to be stimulated. We
find these eneInata bring him up and make him
comfortable, and give volume to his pulse. We
..aI
but have often been compelled to resume them"
" How long will it be necessary to administer
thcmr
For four or five days. should say, at the least.
There can be no very marked Improvement in his
condition within that period"
How is the glandular difficulty tonight 7"
The swelling has lessened, and is becC ming soft
fhc discharge is liberal and the pus is of an i'm
proved character. There will probably be some
sloughine of the cellular tissues"
" Is such a sloughing what was feared so much
few days ago?"
"No; this is quite a different affair. The slough
ing of the cellular tissues of the parotid gland
means simply that the walls between the cells will
slough and tall away and be expelled as pus This
will not involve any destruction of cuticle and will
not leave scar but the effect will be to reduce the
swelling Immediately and relieve the pressure
which has given so much trouble We want lust
such sloughiug as this promises to be. There has
been already, since the new incsion which made
this morning, very free discharge of pus and
much relief has been afforded. The skin too. looks
very much better, the dark purple appearance
having passed away"
" Is there any Improvement in the appetite ~
"Well it is hardly correct to speak of an appe-
dte Tie seems TO take his food with some relish.
We give it every two hours, and about in the
same quantities yesterday. Sometimes he cx-
presses desire for particular article of food
as IN the case of the milk toast but we give him
about what we think he asslmilate and no
more To-day we made the intervals between the
administrations of his food a little longer. not
because his stomach rebelled but because there
were certain indications that he did not take 1T with
reiish and we deemed it advisable to create n
relish by little enforced abstinence, besides
giving the stomach little rest'
Is there any improvement in the Presidents
physical strengthp
That question is difficult to answer 80 as TO he
perfectly understood. In one sense. no: In
another, yes. There is probably no increased
muscular strength. such ability to lift his head or
move his limbs, but there is an improvement not
sensible by such tests which is very important after
all. When the patient is in the subsdng stage of
malady, he moves into one OF repair anG greater
ease His condition is restful and to that extent he
is gaining strength"
What is the character of the pus discharged
from the woundp
1T is limited tonight, as to quantity 1t is.
however, less at night than in the morning The
pus appears to be healthy"
:" Do you drain the wound to as great a depth as
usualp
"Yesn
Are there any indications to the
" No. have given me- siderat;on 10 +h..