The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-08-25
DOCTORING GARFIELD.

and Lucifer himself won't harm We.
DOCTORING GARFIELD.
DR.. Bliss Gives an Accurate Outline of the
Case as 1t Stood During the Last Alarm
How the President is to be Bnilt Up.
on the 18th.
How do You regard the symptoms to-day,
loctor? :" was asked. He replied:
w feel greatly encouraged. There is a marked
amelioration of the conditions of yesterday. OF
course, the pulse and temperature make a better
and besides his general appearance is
improved. His skin looks better, his temperature
$ more %equable, his eye is brighter and his voice il
and strong"
What is the character of the pulse? Is it weak
and steady or ~strong?"
The character Of the pulse is also greatly inn
proved. It is fuller and rounder than yesterday.
md indicates a general better condition of the
patient. He is weak, of course, but his strength is |
much improved since yesterday"
How does it compare with his condition before
the ~relapse?"
oh. I would make no such comparison as That.
l would simply say that his strength is an improve
ment on that of yesterday"
Has he said anything about his case himself to-
day?"
Yes. He has asked about it and has been told
the meaning Of all tho symptoms, the same as
usual"
Does he appear to be very anxious about it?"
No. He has not lost hope. He expects to re-
cover, and while he must have known from our fire.
quent taking of the pulse and temperature and from
the watchfulness yesterday that we thought
him worse he evinces no uneasi-
ness. 1t is true that we tried
to appear as unconcerned as usual in order not to
alarm him, but he probably realized as well as we
did that the case was one of extreme gravity dur
ing the crisis through which he has passed."
Have you given him any food in the natural way
since this trouble with the stomach turing the last
forty-eight hours?"
Yes. We gave him two drachms of cold infusion
of beef. We gave him a drachm at 1870 and
another at 1 as, and when I left him a short time
ago he had experienced no nausea as the result of
the treatment, and we are led to expect that he will
be able to resume again the reception of food in
the natural way, in a very short time. OF course
it will be given with extreme care, and great caution
will be exercised in administering it: but I think it
will be but a few days before he will be able to
RETURN TO A ATURA DIET.
How much is this amount you speak of, two
drachms?'
"a drachm is about a teaspoonful."
Does he experience any trouble from the speculB
of bone which are supposed to be concealed in the
depths of the wound?"
Not the least. We have seen nothing Of any
specula."
rs the discharge of pus still normal?"
Yes. The discharge is still healthy and natural.
It is not so large as before and none too great in
quantity, but the wound is doing we'll. Granula-
ton is progressing and it is healing rapidly"
DO you use a draining tube at all now?
No. The wound is draining without the use Of
artificial means"
Did the fact that the pulse rose SO high while
the temperature ranged below normal cause you
any uneasiness?"
NO: because it was only one-tenth below nor
NAL, and that was most likely not real, but appa-
rently being caused simply by variations IN the in
strument or improper handling of ii. For instance,
at the noon examination to-day the first report was
that the temperature showed 97.3. I knew that
this must be wrong, SO went and took it again
using great care in the manipulation of the bulb,
and found that in fact it was at least three-tenths
of a degree higher"
How much nourishment is he able to take by the
enema?"
"Idon't know. the figures without looking at The
record. / suppose he receives four or five liquid
ounces each day"
is it enough to keep up his strength for any
length of time?'
"Oh, yes. He can receive a great deal of nour-
ishment in that way, and might live upon it for .
number of weeks. Still, we hope to be able in a
very few days to renew the diet in the natural way
| dS tICl0 Is ECfSly luNllCdllOu uOW GuHG luo lOuldC
is returning to it's normal condition, and will soor
be ready for the reception of sufficient food.
"What then shall I say as to the doctors views Of
the case"
Say that we regard it as. encouraging, and
GREAT 1MPEovEME N
upon the symptoms of yesterday"
"You think, then, he will recover?"
Yes" said the doctor, II am confident he will
recover"
You have regarded the last two days as a crisis
have you not?"
Eyes. I think the danger was greater and NOR,
imminent than ever before. A lost bullet. when it,
position ought to be known, a pus cavity and incip.
lent peritonitis are bad enough; but when, at
period when a man needs all the strength that car
be mustered by the most powerful effort, his stom-
ach. the organ indispensable to his continued nour.
ishment, gives way, he is in a bad condition. Thi
was the ground for our alarm. The presiden
needed strength sorely, and he could not gain this
strength. owing to the feebleness Of his stomach
II he had not recuperated his strength he mus
have gone on day by day wasting, until total ex.
haustiOn and consequent death ensued. To tall
about blood poisoning and absorption of pus by tn
vessels of the stomach is nonsense. There is NJ
foundation for it. am positive that no part of thu
pus has been absorbed by any vessel of the bod,
In his stomach or elsewhere. We felt, however
that if we could not manage this stomach difficult.
the case was well nigh hopeless, and our chance o
managing it seemed rather slim. We conld onl!
keep him, meanwhile, by the enema, and wait fo
the stomach to recruit and recuperate. Night be-
before last was as discouraging as last nigh
was encouraging. We had hoped tina
nausea had ceased. and until 3 o'clock yesterday
morning it continued. Our hope seemed almos
forlorn and our chance looked simmer and simmer
but we knew that we could keep him alive for day
with the enema, and the next day would bring fortf
a change for the better. and it did. How anxious!,
[ waited and watched. hoping and fearing for the
events every hour! and when yesterday passed with.
out a recurrence of the terrible retchings I breathei
easier and looked forward hopefully to the night.
It was as favorable as the day had been. Night be-
fore las. he always vomited when he awoke. bu
last night he awoke again and again, aud the wax
ings were not followed by nausea"
"What was the exact nature of the food you gave
the president to-day"
ut was a teaspoonful Of a powerful food prep.
aration first prepared by Leibig and adopted By
physicians in all extreme cases of nausea. It con-
tains
A GREAT DEAL IF NoUR1sHMENT
and it can be retained by the most sensitive stom.
ach. In the preparation of it we, take the best
fresh beef we can get, chop it up very fine, press il
in q calender so that all the juice and nothing but
the juice is extracted. With this essence of beef
nitro muriatic, a powerful stimulant, mingled with
a little brown sugar to take away the taste Of the