Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-26


ceded TO be Grave-HOPe Steadily
RecedIng.
WASHINGTON, August 25.--The Presi-
dents condition during today has been
very unsatisfactory. To night it is alarm
ing. There are very dangerous complca-
tions, which create much anxiety and
alarm. The liquid nourishment admins
tered, even though it is given by the mouth,
does not assimflste nor does It give any
strength to the patient. The only real
ground for hope is in the possibility that
the nourishment given may enable him to
recuperate, and thereby with the accession
of strength throw of the blood poisoning.
Instead, however, of recuperation there is q
wasting away.
The impression is that the end is near,
and that by no possibility can the President
recover. This is the impression l have
from conversations with those who know.
The swollen gland to night is very trouble
some. It has not diminished, despite the
operation of yesterday. The developments
tonight show that instead of one cavity
found in this gland there are half dozen,
one of which would give forth as much pus,
if lanced. as the small quantity drawn from
the incision made Yesterday.
This is further sign that the blood pol
soning is not of the mild form that has
heretofore been attributed to it. Blood
poisoning is in short fully developed, and It
is now conceded that It is only question Of
DAYS, perhaps hours, when the President
shall breathe his last. The delirious stage
tonight is more marked. aud is consequent
upon the alarming complications which
have developed themselves.
It is feared that the accumulations OF pus
consequent upon blood poisoning may reach
the brain, when all would be certainly over.
1t is admitted at the White House that un-
next twenty-four hours that all will be prac-
tically over with the President.
THE STATE OF FEELING.
The prevalent feeling at the Execu-
tive Mansion has been one of increased
anxiety. The symptoms of the Presi-
dent up to six o'clock were not de-
cldedly worse, nor had any marked un-
favorable change taken place in his general
condition, but his failure to gain strength
from the constantly increasing quantities of
nourisb bment taken, disappointed expecta-
tion, and the threatening aspect of
the glsndular swelling was taken as
another reason for discouragement. 1t
seemed to be generally felt by the friends
of the President who come here every day
! for information, but whose views of the
case represent the outside current of
thought, that the patient had not gained as
much as he ought to have gained from the
amount of nourishment taken since Mon
day morning, and that this is due to i'm
perfect assimilation apd nutrition.
Enough food is taken daily, they said, to
more than sustain the PATIENTS strength, If
it were all turned into blood and vital
force But, evidently, l. is not, since there
has been no perceptible gain in his strength
during the past three days. This, they ar
que, indicates that septic@nis or some
other unfavorsble influence, is at work, In,
terfering with the process of nutrition, and
nutralizing, to great extent, the efforts of
the stomach to supply the system with
food.
The President, they said, should be gain
ing strength now to get through another
bad Sunday, or to meet another possible re-
verse in the shape of new complications.
But, instead of that, he is hardly holding
his own, and has no reserve of strength
to draw upon in case Of necessi-
ty. They find also another reason
for disbursement in the behavior
of the parotid swelling. When the incision
was made yesterday afternoon it was gen.
orally supposed. although, perhaps, with
out sufficient warrant, that it would afford
speedy, il not immediate, relief, and from
that source no further danger was to be ap-
pretended. There was consequently
feeling of disappointment to-day, when
1t was found not only that the swelling had
not decreased in sizs, but that pus was
forming IN a number of places here and
there in the gland, and that the complica-
tion seemed to be even more serious than
before the operation.
These ard other like considerations to-
gether, without the absence of any posi-
lively encouraging assurances from the sur
geOns' room, have checked to-day the
hopeful anticipations which were expressed
yesterday afternoon. The surgeons, how
ever, while conceding the gravity Of the
situation, continued to maintain throughout
the afternoon that the outlook was no worse
than yesterday.
DR.. Bliss came into the telegraph Office at
the eastern end of the mansion about two
o'clock. and, while waiting for some one
whom he wished to see, talked frankly for
twenty minutes with regard to the Presi-
dents condition. He admitted that there
had been no gain of strength,
and no improvement in the general condi-
ton of the President, but he attributed this
largely to the glsndular swelling, which had
become, he said, the principal and most
threatening feature of the case. A small
quantity of pus had been discharged at the
noon examination, but no relief had
vet been afforded, and it had become evil
dent that pus was forming In small cells or
pockets throughout the whole in1amed
gland, thus increasing the seriousness of the
complication. As far as the PATIENTS other
symptoms were concerned, no apprehension
was felt The wound, he said, was
granulatiDg well. The stomach was per-
forming its functions properly, and an in
creased quantity of food had been taken
during the day. Were it not for the threat
ening aspect of the glandular swelling
1t would, he thought, be ''plain sailing"
At O'Clock DR.. ReYburn, IL reply to
questions asked him by telephone, reported
that there had been no material change in
the Presidents condition, and there was no
indication in the $50 bulletin of any alarm
ing emergency. After seven O'Clock,
however, rumors began to be
heard of an unfavorable change in the case,
and later in the evening they were con-
firmed by Secretary Blaine's telegram to
Minister Lowell No information could be
obtained directly from the surgeons,
who remained either in their own
consulting room or in the Presidents
chamber, but It was ascertained indirectly
that the unfavorable change had it's origin
In the parotid gland, which was beginning
to exert an active and alarming influence
upon the patients general condition.
At ten o'clock DR.. BoynGon, in converse
tion with a reporter of the Associated Press,
said that he was about discouraged. The
President was taking nourishment enough,
but it did not and could not do him much
good while the parotid inflammation con-
tinued, and while his blood remained in its
present condition. Upon being asked II
the effects of the blood poisoning would
not soon disappear, he replied:
Eyes, but I fear not soon enough. am
afraid the President will not have strength
enough to pull through. l do not like to
admit, even to myself, that he cannot re-
cover, but there has been a change for the
worse, and, while do not entirely give I'D
hope, my hope is much weakened.n
"You do not anticipate an immediate