Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-12
About the Beile1fns.
EXPLANATION OF THE TERMS. USED.

| EXPLANATION OF THE TERMS. Used
The surgeons who have charge of the Pres-
! dents case even in the excitement of the first
hours. recognized the intense desire of the peo-
pie to get information, and they arranged to
issue frequent bulletins showing tine state of
the pulse. temperature and respiration. These
bulletins have been most eagerly watched for
| throughout the whole civilized world The use
of technical terms in the bulletins could not he
avoided, especially when the necessity OF con-
densation, IN order that they might be quickly
prepared and frequently issued is taken into
consideration. 1t is but natural that vcrv many
persons should be unfamiliar with these techni
! Cal terms. and with the view of rendcrn: the
bulletin inteiii"ibIe to all, the surgeons accom-
panied the figures showing temperature.
pulse and respiration with a brief remark
! to the effect that ''the Presidents condi
tion continues favorable etc. These bulletins
arc now issued three times daily and will be so
| continued. Some explanation of the technical
terms employed. and the manner of determining
the Presidents condition. will, no doubt assist
many to quick comprehension of the bulletins
as it frequently occurs that the man OF business
or labor has but time for glance at them. as he
passes "Puse." on a bulletin. means the num-
Der OF beats per minute of the patients pulse
This, as everybody understands is determined
by counting the pulsatiOnS, watch in hand
"TemperatEre" means the degree OF heat Fab
renheit. OF the patients body. This Is ascer-
tanned by placing the bulb of a small theremome-
| ter specially arranged and adapted for the mr.
pose in the mouth Of the patient. or under the
armpit. as the attending surgeon may see fit
The highest degree registered by the mecurv
shows the temperature of the body. "Respira-
ton means the number of breathngs per
minute, and these, like the pulsa-
tions, are ascertained by watching
and counting the times the chest rises and falls
| per minute. In good health the natural beats
OF the pulse vary in different persons. The av-
crase of adults is FROM sixty to seventy per min
ute There are. however, very wide differences
even in healthy persons. For instance. Bona
parties natural pulse-beat was only about A.
while that of one of the lord justices of England
(the name is not now remembered) was as high
as 12S per minute. These. however are ex-
, tremes. Then, too the pulse-beats of healthy
persons vary at different times of the day. or
according to the position Of the body or to the
activity or quiet of the person. The greatest
frequency of the beats occurs during the middle
of the day and the least about midnight As
rule in health tie pulse is quicker IN the morn
ing than in the evening. but in fever especially in
warm weather. this is reversed and the increases is
in the evening. The Presidents pulse since the
hopeful symptoms OF his case set in has invari-
ably quickened in the evening and decreased in
the morning. The doctors attribute the increase
to the heat. stir and hustle incident to the day.
time and the decrease to the cooler atmosphere
and the general quiet which prevail at night
President Carfields natural pulse. when in good
health aud quiet is about 20 beats per minute
Inc highest pulsat0n vet reached in his case
has beel 1876. For the past several days it has
ranged from los to 96. In cases of extreme
1ethargy the pulse has been known to go down
to II and the other extreme on record is 200 the
latter occerring in children afflicted with water
on the brain. The average temperature or
natural heat of the human body in good condi-
ton OF health. is 9S1a degrees. (9S5 Fahrenheit
The 9oth degree is marked on thermometers as
blood heat. Cases are on record in
which the temperature rose to 1OS in
children and 107 in adults. but 1O5 is
regarded as almost certain death, and 1O4 as ex-
trenely dangerous Raving yellow fever patients
are said to rarely go above 105. The Presidents
temperature has been as low as $50, only four
tenths of a degree above normal. Last night it
reached the highest point-1O28. The surgeons
ascrlbed this unusual rise-it had not been going
above 1O1 and fractiOns-tO excitement of the
patient. produced by the hammering and other
noises and stir necessary to the introduction of
the pipes for the compressed air. The fact that
the temperature receded this morning to 996
proves the accuracy of this opinion. In cases
OF cholera the temperature Of the body has
been known to fall to H. but the icy hand of
death already had hold of the patient. The
Presidents respiration has varied from 10 to a.
In health, and when entirely free from any ex-
citing influence, the natural respiration (number
OF breathings per minute) Of an adult is from
from fourteen to eighteen; but in cases of sick
ness and of wounds it has been recorded as low
as seven and as high as one hundred per
minute.
'Peritonitis" is a term that was frequently
used in the earlier bulletins to denote one of the
dangers of the Presidents condition; but his case
has now reached state of progress which re-
lieves that apprehension The tenn. briefly de-
tined means inflammation of the peritoneum,
which is membrane that envelopes the intes-
tines and other abdominal organs and generally
the interior OF the abdomen Inflammation of
that membrane is a most dangerous, if not fatal,
phase OF disease on wound.
"Tympanitis" was another unfavOrable svmp-
tom in the earlier stages of the Presidents case.
now happily passed. Its meaning was that the
abdomen was swelling up tight like q drum
(tympan) from an accumulation of air or gasses
in the Intestinal tube or in the peritOneum. The
tympantis disappeared before it developed to
any alarming extent.
What DR.. Bliss Says.
DR.. Bliss says that during the early part of the
day yesterday the President was very restless.
and had but little sleep. The noise of the fan
in the basement forcing the cool air into the
room made buzzing sound, plainly susceptible
to us near the bedside, and once or twice we
asked if he noticed it. He did not complain but
it was evident that it was annoying him. After
canvas section was substituted for the tin pipe
it broke the continuity of sound, or as General
~" oiA, WIN was SlouOlnS Dy SdlO, the Ceie-
phonic communication between the fan and the
room was cut of. But the rest which followed
the quiet of the room was very encouraging.
probably as natural sleep as he has had since
the wound.
"What is the Presidents Weight?n The
doctor was unable to say, but Private Secretary
Pruden said 2lO pounds
do you think he has lost much fiesh?'
he has, replied the doctor. II should say
between twenty-five and thirty pounds His
iaE'n has materially diminished.
Referring to the bulletins he said that the
leoTiie excitement was greatest during the
middle m OF the day, whereas, in most fever cases
II was greatest at night. This was one of the
pecqharties observed in his case.
lis he inclined to talk?''
MOI since we have explained that it is better
ne sh0uid keep silent. When approach his bed
sioe ne extends his hand, and his invariable
question is, Doctor, what do you think of the
sltuation: After explaining to him as fully as
possible and dressing his wound he usually falls
asleep. he has habit Of talking in his sieep.
put the confused and nervous action was greatly
M uihlnlsned during the day. The discharge from
tue WOUND mas been what we term laudable pus
ana MS condition at the time we made our noon
examination a did not indicate relapse. He has
not experienced any nausea and has expressed
nlisei very grateful for his appetite and ability