Middletown transcript., 1881-07-08
GARFIELD'S CONDITION.
VERY NEARTO DEATHS DOOR.
A FAVORABLE CHANGE MONDAY
NIGHT.
ENCOURAGING BULLETINS
CONTINUE.

The Presidents y condition on Sunday
and Monday was far from hopeful. Drs.
Agnew, of Philadelphia, and F. II.
Hamilton, Of New York, were sum
mOned to Washington on Monday by a
telegram from Secretary Blaine, and
held a consultation with the physicians
in attendance. They approved the
course of treatment which had been
pursued. Monday evening there was
an unfavorable change, and those who
were near the President gave up all
hope. The physicians in attendance, it
is said, believed that his death was only
a question of a very few hours. A cor
respondent thus describes the scene in
during the dark hours "There was il
crisis. For the first time after his re-
covery from the shock of the bullet lie
seemed to lose hope himself. Part of
the time he was deliriOus. He slept a
little, but it was a sleep largely pro-
duced by frequent doses of morphine
He suffered pains he moaned and
tossed in his bed. The cheerful look
departed from the eye. There were no
jests upon his lips. The wives of the
Cabinet officers were constant in their
attendance. Grave men shook their
heads and Mrs. Blaine came from the
Presidents room weeping. Even the
brave Mrs. Garfield lost somewhat of
the splendid courage which had sus-
tanned her throughout her trying ordeal.
She almost tainted, and as the hot
breath of the night and the gloom of
the twilight entered the apartment it
seemed as though they foreboded a
tragic ending of the crime of the fanatic.
4 Suddenly there was a change
for the better. Towards midnight the
troubled slumbers of the President be-
came peaceful and he soon sank into
the best sleep he had enjoyed since
the shooting on Saturday morning. His
pulse and temperature became better
there were signs of an improved vital
ity the breathing was easier the pains
ceased there was no longer any appear
ance of dangerous Inflammation or of
peritonitis; hope began to dawn where
despondency had been; the faces that
had been full Of gloom began to look
hopeful +; there was yet some encourage
ment; recovery flung out her signals in
the steady breathings and the peaceful
slumber of the President. 1t seemed
as though the strong will and consti-
tuition Of the man had made one more
effort for life. -
The improvement in the Presidents
condition continued on Tuesday and
Wednesday, and by Thursday express
sionS of hopefulness Of his final recov-
cry became general. He rested well
Wednesday night and on Thursday as
tonished Dr.. Bliss by asking for a beef
steak for breakfast. The wound, how
ever, is very dangerous one, and the
favorable symptoms must continue for
many days yet before the danger will
be past. An eminent surgeon who has
been giving the case close attention,
says that there are great many crises
with gunshOt wounds and that the next
crisis will come on Saturday.
Possibly owing to the intense heat this
crisis may develop earlier The i'm
mediate danger will be in connection
with the sloughing Of the wound in the
for the surgeons are now I'M
derStOod to be agreed that the ball is
not imbedded in the liver and that there
is a wound in the wall Of the abdomen.
LATER.
The Presidents condition continued
to improve yesterday and his chances
for final recovery now seem to be more
than even. His physicians believe that
he has already passed his greatest dan
gers. DR.. Agnew has said . If the
President gets through Friday to-day |
all right l think there will lie little |
cause for doubt that he will get well. -
Bulletins received this morning state
that the favorable symptoms Of yester-
day continue.