Omaha daily bee., 1881-07-07
The Doctors and His Attendants
Agree that He is Getting
Along Finely.
But at the Same Time Their
Care of the President Does
Not Relax in the Least.
DR.. Bliss Says the Bulletins
Were Not Rose-C olored,
But Represented the True Con.
dition Of The President.
WHAT THE DOCTORS SAY.

oA' D'fJ
able comment has been caused by the
reports made of the wrangling among
the presidents corps of physicians.
The truth of the matter is that some of
the other physicians had criticised DIR.
Bliss treatment and Mrs. Garfield
was worried thereby. AS near as car
be learned the reports of professional
conversations on the subject has been
greatly exaggerated. Finally to re-
assure Mrs. Garfield DR.. Bliss is said
to have placed the names of a number
of the most distinguished surgeons in
the land and had drawn three, DIR.
Agnew, of Philadelphia, DR.. Gross, OF
the same city, and DR.. Hamilton, OF
New York. DR.. Bliss had these sum.
moned to consult and give their opin-
ion as to whether the treatment the
president was undergoing was a pro-
per one. DR.. Hamilton and DR.,
Agncw arrived and held the consulta.
ton and certified to treatment. DR.
Gross reached the city, but by some
mishap his card which was sent t.
private secretary of president, Mr..
Brown did not reach him, and DIR.
Gross departed for home without hav.
ingattended decentralization. DR.. Bliss
says the bulletins of the presidents
condition are not ro~se-colored, but
represent his actual condition based on
an examination in advance of their is.
sue. The doctor also desires to deny
the statement imputed to him, that he
already considered the president out
of danger. He says that while he is
now more hopeful than at any time
heretofore, there are 80 many acct
dents incident to q wound of this char
acter that no man would be warranted
in asserting that danger was passed.
The mind of the president is clear and
bright, he has slept since last evening
fully seven hours of the time without
opiates, his sleep has been calm and
natural and has benefited him great
ly. In reply to the question as to the
source from which danger was to be
feared, the doctor replied thatit would
be difficult and improper tostate, there
might be pus in the cavity of the
wound, there might be secondary
hemorrhage which, however, he did
not seriously apprehend, or a variety
of other causes to make the symp.
toms u~nfavorable. At this time he
felt, undrr the circumstances, strange.
ly hopeful of recovery. In an inter.
view with another person DIR. Bliss
said that he could not say definitely
with regard to the presidents wounds
unless the ball were better located
than it now seems to be. The bal
must be in or near the liver.
"Will you probe for it7"
"We don't intend to-"
"What is the presidents condition
at this hour2"
sit is very favorable. He is sleep
ing. His sleep is as quiet, peaceful
and natural as it can be-"
"From what do you fear the mos
danger2"
"That I cannot and should not say
if 1 had formed a final opinion on the
subject. There is danger from the
formation of a pus cavity and from
secondary inflammation, of which there
are no signs. There are a variety o
accidents which in such cases ma,
bring great danger"
DIR. Woodward stated this p. IN
that he was surprised to see so grea
an improvement as the president ha
developed in the last 16 hours; from
his knowledge of the case it was fai
to suppose there would be a change TO
the bettervery soon, if indeed it wa
temporary, but the change was decid
cd and so comparatively rapid, was
glad surprise indeed. Certainly tn
situation is exceedingly hopeful. III
hoped no complications would arise t
retard the favorable progress.
DIR. Barnes, surgoon-general, state
that a change for the better has bee
remarkable, and nothing but the won
derful constitution and will-power {
the president could have wrought il
All was done that could be done, bu
matters looked dark on Monday nigh
and now the sky was brighter.
DIR. Rayburn has been rather hop.
full of a final and successful issue wit
a happy change. He does not expet
that there will be no more dangerou
features IN the case, or even that fat,
effects are impossible, but he Ia
strong faith in present evidences, an
hopes that the worst will soon beovel
A prominent local physician VIII
thinks most people are in too gre,
haste either to kill or cure the pres
dent says: You don't rccollect or ms
not know that such a wound as h
has its ups and downs amongst i
symptoms of a most decided chara
ter. When symptoms are bad yo
don't seem to be taking into consid
ration anything but the fact that yc
must publish without any ~explanatio
OF without qualification. When SYM
toms are good you do something G
the other side. Out Of this growt
the constantly changing public feeliI
that the president is going to live
out, at one hour, and that he is goir
to die at the next. Now, the wour
is a most dangerous one, and Il
presidents condition is very critica
A change either one way or the 9th,
unless it is a rapid sinking does n
demonstrate anything, 1t will |
three weeks, i think, before the pre-
ident a BIO regarded as out of da,
ger"
HI PRESIDENTS ATTENDANTS.
WASHINGTON, July 6.-Mrs. Ga
field is the only person, except do
tors and nurses and Gen. Swat
who are allowed to enter the pre-
dents room at will. The other ]
dies, wives of the cabinet officers al
intimate friends, are permitted occ
sional visits to the room, one or t,
at q time. Whenever Mrs. Carrie
goes into the room he welcomes h
with a amila and aha invariably snaal