The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-07-28
PRESIDENT GARFIELD.
A Bad Turn on Saturday and great Alarm
as to His Condition..
Later ane More Favorable Reports-Bopes
Still Entertained Of His Recovery.

Still Entertained of His Recovery.
The reports Of President Gar6eld's condition
for week had been 80 uniformly favorable
that the public had almost ceased to feel an in
serest in them, but on Saturday there was an
unexpected change that alarmed the country.
On Friday night he had been somewhat rest
change in the patients condition manifested
itself He complained Of cbillness, and for
about fifteen minutes he suffered perceptibly
from the effects Of the chill: slight rigidity
Of muscles accompanied the chilly sensation.
The chill was followed y fever Of two
anxlous)y watched the symptoms of the case.
The wound was not dressed Until 10 O'Clock a.
M, when, foc the first time the public was in
formed Of the change in TIE presidents condi-
ton There was an immediate gathering Of
the cabinet at the White House; and intense
cause OF the chill aud feverwas attributed be
Dr.. Bliss to the confinement of pus in sonny
cavity of the wound, or the system, and not
blood poisoning.
Bliss, "but l trust if the flow of pus is retarded
that an abscess will form, ss we can easily open
that and relieve the patient" Dr. Reyburn two
days ago had reported the presence of new
flesh along the wall of the cavity, such
as comes with the healing process These
bic they may have increased to such an extent
as to stop up the wound. In any event the
presidents condition Is very serious. DR.. Boyn-
ton was encliued TO believe that some such act
ion had taken place anQ Dr.. Baxter said that he
thought it might be pyamia, i'll which
At 1Oa m. the presidents pulse was ITO,
his temperature 1O1, and respiration normal
BIS fever continued, and instead of improving
the patient grew worse. There was second
chill OF brief duration about 1870, and the
pulse indicated at one time $50. 1t fell very
soon to 1875 and there remained for some
time, the temperature being 1O4 and the res
pirahon 26 The physicians felt the situation
to be critical one and Dls Hamilton, OF New
York, and Asnew, of Philadelphia, the con-
graph, and arrived in Washington in I've hours.
After consultation with the other surgeons
Dr. Hamilton seut the following telegram to
his wife: ''The SYMPTOMS of the president are
not so grave as | had supposed when I left
fanny fanny Dr. ASos" fs as e1o to ss
Soon after o'clock The presidents pulse and
temperature had gone down, aud he was per-
spring little, which indicated all improve
ment over his condition this morhing. At
o'clock the fever ahated ahd the doctors became
hopeful, and favorable reports were sent out
on svsDAT
Before morning the president had ether chills,
and the discharge was much less than ex-
wound was carefully examined. DR.. Ham
ilton inserted the Tube that had beon used for
opening the wound and after tests had been
made both by himself and DR.: Agnew it was
ascertained that pus cavity had been formed
at the point where the ball detected towards
which it entered the body The ball took a
downward course for nearly three inches and
then brahchel of to what is supposed to be
nearly horizontal Inns. 1t VIII be seen
that ts the R Ss w51 Sasre. aad b S %ea
place of the ball had not only to work itself
along the presumably straight cc>.rse of the
wound, but had to force itself upward three
inches before reaching the surface. The sur
geons determined to punoture this abscess i'm
mediately, and the president was informed
that an operation was necessary to relieve HIM
Agnew first scattered spray Of either over
point about three inches below the entrance of
the wound and one inch to the right Of the back
bone. The knife was inserted to the depth OF
about an inch, and then slowly raised, making
clear cut through which the pus began to
discharge almost Immediately: An examina-
ton of the pus showed that it was not of a
perfectly healthy character. The president
bore the operation without flinching. He did
not desire an anesthetle administered, and the
physicians did not wish to give him one. A
tube was inserted in the wound and brought
through the ircision, after which the inner
s11rfal :e was Thoroughly cleaned The CID wound
from the surface down to the points of its
junction with the incision will be allowed to
heal but the flow of pus will be diverted through
the new aperture.
The president experienced immediate relief
and the bulletins of the night following
showed that his condition Was about as usual,
At $40 p. NJ, DR.. Agnew took the train for
Philadelphia. 1t has been arranged between
himself and DR.. Hamilton that one Of them
shall remain there constantly until the rres;-
dent is reasonably Out Of danger.
ON MONDAY.
There was an improvement over the pre-
vious day, and up to one o'clock Tuesday morn
ing there was every sign of permanent i'm
provement.