Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-08-23
1870 p. NJ.

WASHINGTON. August -.
Executive Mansion-The President this
morning began the day in condition which
was regarded as slightly better than that
shown by the last official bulletin yesterday.
He bad passed a quieter and more comforta-
BILE night than was anticipated. There had
been no recurrence of vomiting. which ex-
cited so much alarm yesterday afternoon,
and his pulse, before he awOke at A. NJ,
was down to %. This suspicious opening of
the day. seemed to justify, or at least to
make more reasonable, the belief of few
sanguine persons that the case was about to
take favorable turn, and when the morning
bulletin appeared and it became known that
the patient had begun to swallow food again
without vomiting or nausea, wavering hope
took the place of the profound dependency
which prevailed everywhere throughout the
city last night. At A. NJ. the surgeons
gave the patient an enemata, consisting of
ounces of beef extract with :he yolk of an
egg, and shortly afterwards, in compliance
with his request, he was given small guam
tity of koumiss which he swallowed and re-
tanned without discomfort. Later in the
morning, as there was no signs fgastric dis
turbance, the patient was given more kou-
miss and milk porridge and by noon he had
taken and retained 10 or IL ounces.
The exciting cause of the vomiting yester-
day, viz: The mucous in the throat seemed
to-day, to be absent the secretion from the
infamed parotid gland was very scanty and
gave the patient no annoyance; the gland it
self caused little if any pain; he therefore
rested more quietly than usual throughout
the day, swallowing liquid nourishment at
regular intervals without nausea or discom-
fort.
Between ~ and o'clock another enemata
was given, consisting of five ounces of beef
extract and the yolk of an egg, and shortly
after this the patient went asleep. With the
exception of the slight rise of pulse and tenn
perature, his condition remains substantially
unchanged throughout the remainder of the
day. In a conversation with a reporter of
the Associated Press late this afternoon. Dr.
Bliss, who seemed rather more than ordina.
rily cheerful and confident, said that the gen.
eral condition of the President had not
changed very much since yesterday, but that
what change there had been was in the direc-
ton of improvement. 1t is furthermore he
said. change in precisely these symptoms
which are regarded with most anxiety, and
which have the most direct bearing upon the
future of the case, viz: The symptoms de-
pendent upon the condition of the stomach.
The one great question now, he said is the
question of nourishment If the Presidents
stomach will take and assimilate food enough
to meet the drain upon his system caused by
the fever and the constant secretion of pus,
to sustain his strength until other unfavora-
BILE complications disappear and to enable ma
ture t" carry on the process of repair which
has commenced in and about the wound
think there is every probability of a COM
plete recovery. The consequences of the
swelling of the parotid gland or of the
slight septicant of the blood in which that
swelling had its origin, are of secondary i'm
portance when compared with the conse-
quences of failure of the stomach to assim-
llate food. Exhaustion is the thing most to
be feared.
Upon being questioned as to what he
thought of the condition of the Presidents
stomach to-day, Bliss said: 1T takes food
to-day very well, and we hope to have no
further trouble with it. The stomach itself
was not much in fault yesterday. The vom-
itlng was caused by the patients strenuous
efforts to get rid of the tenacious mucous in
his throat. He told me at that time he felt
no nausea. To-day hardly any mucous has
been secreted, and consequently the stomach
has not been disturbed in that way
In reply to question in regard to the in
famed gland, DIR. Bliss said that the slandu
lar swelling is hard and shows no signs as
yet of subsiding, although the swelling of
the surrounding parts is pretty much disap-
peared- Whether the suppuration will take
place or not. we cannot tell; am rather in
inclined to think it will. l do not, however.
apprehend any serious consequences in that
case, provided we can maintain the Presi
dents strength. The pus which forms is
likely to be Of healthy character, and we
shall liberate it promptly by an incision.
There has been no pain in the gland this
afternoon and 1t has caused the patient little
or no annoyance"
In conclusion, DIR. Bliss said in substance
that although the President is extremely
weak, and although his condition is one
which naturally causes great anxiety. the
improved condition of his stomach TO-DAY.
gives ground for encouragement. If he can
De properly nourished, he will in the opinion
Of DIR. Bliss, ultimately recover.