New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-27
THE PRESIDENTS CONDITION.

The condition of the President is undoubt-
edly critical. There has been no attempt by
the surgeons in charge to conceal the sad fact
that his state was still one of danger. But there
has been, and still is. much reason to hope
for the final success of surgical skill notwith-
standing the difficulties reported in kilograms
from Washington. The removal of pieces
of the splinteIed rib in the dressing of the
wound yesterday, was presumably calcu-
lated to relieve the recent tendency to gather
ing of pus and recurrence of fever, and the
statements of DR.. Hamilton here and of DR..
Agnew at Washington show that they are not
responsible for alarming rumors. DR.. Ham
ilton is reported as saying that other alb
scesses or gatherings of pus were " not likely TO
"occur because this one had occurred and the
"chances are more than equal that similar
"pouches will not be formed at all. This one had
IA special cause.-the irregular projection of the
fractured rib" 1t appears from his remarks,
too, that he was aware before leaving Wash
ington that some pieces of bone would have to
| be removed, but did not apprehend serious re-
| suits. The kilograms show that the removal of
| these pieces of bone by DIR. Agnew yesterday
| was followed by evidences of an improved con-
dition of the patient.
| Much alarm was caused yesterday by tele-
| gram stating that Dr. Agncw had concluded
that the life OF the patient could not be pre-
! served without cutting out the ball. The
| Washington dispatches show how entirely with
out truth this statement was The physicians in
| charge have not thought it proper to make pub
lie all their opinions, and have been most I'M
warrantably criticised for their reticence as to
| matters not clearly known. But none of them
| have given countenance to the idea that they
were inclined to go on an exploring expedition,
knife in hand, to find ball of unknown loca-
ton and 1T is tolerably safe to say that, if they
| make any attempt to get at it, they will first
have good reasons for belief that they know
where to find it. DR.. Hamilton is quoted as
saying yesterday that he thought the location
of the ball had been discovered; that it was
probably in the right lilac fossa; and that,
Notwithstanding the evidence at first pre-
scented to the gentlemen in attendance was
"very conclusive" he did not think the ball
| had entered the liver or the peritoneum The
| positive statement is also made, on the au-
| thority OF the eminent physician whose skill i'm
microscopic investigation is undisputed that
| the blood gives no evidence of blood poisoning
and all the physicians and surgeons in attend
| ance join i'll the declaration that there is no
evidence Of py9mia, although surgeons hun
dreds OF miles away, who have never seen the
wound or the patient, make public assertions
| that the President is undoubtedly - suffering
| from poisoning of the blood. In truth, one of
the saddeatures of this tragic event is the revc-
latiOn which it has made of the spirit of some
surgeons who were not called to attend the
patient.
The situation is critical, and yet the country
should not make haste to believe that the Presi-
dent is gong to die, nor be east down into the
depths OF hopelessness, as it has been more than
once already. Surgeons as eminent and skilful
as any III the country are doing their utmost.
ana nave the strongest possible motive to do all
that science cam for the recovery of the Presi-
dent They quote cases in which difficulties
even more grave have been overcome, and ex-
press strong hope that in this case there will be
complete recovery. Hope is not certainty
and they know that they may fail !; but like the
brave and heroic man who suffers before them
they mean to do their best This is not a time
for the ventilation of contemplate professional
jealousies The country will realize that there
ought to be earnest effort to sustain and
strengthen the President and his surgeons and
heartfelt prayer to the Giver of all Good that
the life of the President may be spared and
heartfelt thanl1fulness also that the latest news
from the Presidents bedside breathes once
more tone OF strong hope and reviving con-
tidence.
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EUROPEAN. CONVENTIONS.
Inc ruInors OF a secret understanding between