The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-09-06
The Latest,
THE JOURNEY.
The Patients Condition and the Necessity
of His Removal.

L11Gi OoOLe
The Patients Condition and the Necessity
of His Removal.
1t is no holiday trip that the President is
about to make nor is it the journey OF con-
valescent His removal from the White
House, if it is undertaken at an, and there
are doubts even now in the minds OF the doc
tors as to its expediency, will be last resort
On the eve of this contemplated Journey,
the President is suffering, first, from an un-
healed gunshot wound, the length OF which is
estimated at sixteen inches; second, from
compound fracture of the tenth and contu-
sion of the eleventh rib made by the bullet in
its course; third, from the presence IN the
body of jagged lead bullet, not encysted and
travelling slowly downward; fourth, from
poisonous state of the blood, of which the in
famed parotid gland is a symptom; fifth, from
the glandular abscess itself, which IS now
cause as well as a result OF trouble, and Is DIS
charging in seven channels, four opened br
the surgeons knife, and three that opened
themselves, through the ear, mouth, and nos,
trils The sixth complication is the weak and
dyspeptic state of the stomach, which has at
times rejected all proffered food, and requires
to be treated in the most delicate manner.
For nearly three weeks the President has not
swallowed a mouthful of solid food. The
seventh item of anxiety and danger is the
debility brought on by the injury, and its
physical consequences; and the eighth IS the
mental weakness resulting from the local and
constitutional troubles. The physicians begin
to fear also the presence of an intermittent
malarial fever, in addition to the inevitable
traumatic fever occasioned by the effort OF ma
ture to repair the bullet wound
1t is proposed to lift with his bed, take down
a long flight OF stairs, carry some distance by
stretcher or wagon, and finally convey 250
miles by rail man SO weak and SICK that ne
can scarcely turn his head from side to SIDE,
cannot lift his head at all, and is able 10 move
his arms or legs only with difficulty and weari-
ness He is too feeble to bear the exc itement
OF seeing the faces of his most cherished
friends. One made a journey from New Mex
leo specially to see him. but was not admitted
to the sick room. No Cabinet officer, with one
exception, has seen him since the time imme-
diately folio wing the shooting. 1t excltes the
sufferer beyond his strength TO have his chill
dren sit quietly by his sde The exertlon OF
speaking pains him and increases the speed OF
his pulse. Food is necessary, and he takes 1t
as it is prescribed, but has no healthy appetite
or relish for what he swallows. The wounds
are not constantly painful to an acute degree
but the frequent dressings are distressing ana
exhausting. The suffering caused by the IN
famed gland would alone have brought
strong man low. The original injury
has made little progress for ten days.
Were the patient stronger the indolent
granulation would be irritated into better
action by the mild caustic washes. But this,
though an almost unnecessary step, is out OF
the question in the present state of the patient.
He has been kept up in part since the last re-
lapse by the free use of of nutritive and stimu-
lating enemata. These are efficacious, and Of
ten bridge crisis successfully, but their linn
itations are well known. They cannot be used
forever.
1t will be understood, then, why the doctors
mean to remove the President. He is plainly
dying where he is. If he is removed there is
bare possibility that he may recover.
While the physicians have decided upon re-
moval, there are indications still that they
hesitate to take the great responsibility. But
Mrs. Garfield is determined. She recognizes
the probability of death ii her husband re-
mains any longer breathing the air from those
muddy fats. She has said that he must be re-
moved at once, and she believes in the one
chance and that it will save him. The time
of reno val is not known. The train is ready,
and f after a night of rest the President
should be found in favorable condition, and
the weather should prove fair, it is not IN
likely that word may be sent to the depot, the
train made ready, and the President placed
aboard it.