Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-08-12
Clearinghouse Report.
THE WHITE HOUSE SUFFERER
His PrecnrlOus COnditiOn-The
limit of His Endurance
Reached.

Cincinnati Commercially
The popular impression, which is
unmistakable, that the President is in
a desperately precarious condition, is
the reaction from tile irrational conf
dence generally entertained three
weeks ago.
DR.. Bliss says if the President dies
il will be the result of mismanagement,
and he accepts responsibilities to that
effect. 1t is serious thing to say, and
under all the circumstances, impress
sive.
What Drs. Hamilton and Agnew
have said since the second surgical op-
Grafton is, OF course, intended to be
reassuring, but they could not trife
with their regulations so far as to at
tempt to deceive the people.
1t is plain now that previous to the
first relapse of the President we were
dwelling in FOOLS paradise. With.
out the use of the knife he would
have died.
The second incision seems to have
been required in order to keep open
the wound. 1t was in anticipation Of
the pus cavity that would have fol-
lowed the obstruction Of the track OF
the ball.
The morning Of this operation the
President was feeling well, and the
surgeons took advantage of his bright
ness to use the knife. Their prompti-
tude saved the patient from the terri
BE chills that attended the relapse.
1t has been remarked that, as rule,
the Presidents worse days are Satur-
days and his best days Tuesdays.
Some think the reason for his Satur-
DAVIS high ievers is to be found in the
| fact that he was wounded on that day
of the week, and his mind, when the
weekly anniversaries come around,
dwells with burning intensity upon
the theme.
We think he will get well, though
not speedily, but there are dangers
that it would be unreasonable not to
take into account. The ball may have
carried with it thread or splinter Of
bone, or have rough surface, and es-
tablished an irritation. So much
time has elapsed, however, that we
may tegin to believe this not likely to
occur.
The sharpest apprehensions we have
about the condition Of the President
is that there may be failure, perhaps
somewhat sudden, in his strength. lie
has endured NO much, so calmly and
bravely, that his weakness is hardly
understood. His will and power has
been exerted to the utmost, but it
wears out with long suffering.
4 Mrs. Edison, who tells more truth
in a palmer way than any other OF the
Presidents attendants says Of the
latest surgical operation:
"The President asked If 1t was ne
cessary. He was told that it was. Hi
next question was, Will the operation
be an extensive one2 1t was evident
from this that be had an idea thai
possibly the surgeons intended cut
ting for the bullet. DIR. Agnew saw
this and sitting by the side Of the bed
assured the President that no extern
sive operation wasintended. He theT
explained what was to be done anC
the purpose in detail, telling him thai
the operation could not be attended,
with any difficulty; that it was sim
pie in character, and that they thought
good results would follow. The Presi
dent listened attentively, and, being
satisfied from the explana'
ton of Its propriety con
sented, first asking whether i
would be painful. he Yves told that
I Il would not. The President said, I
ann glad it will not be. for | cam
stand much This was the first tins
he had ever shown any signs Of fear
, and the doctors, after thinking ovel
the matter for a while, thought IT besl
to administer an anasthetie. ~ Wa
known to the physcians thstthe Pres
ident was ayerse to taking any an@s