The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-09-08
THE slCK.ROoM AT. WASHINGTON.

THE SICK.ROOM AT. WASHINGTON.
Another Crisis I'm the President,s Com.
Aision Safely Passed-After Hope Had
been Almost Abandoned the Patient
Rallies. and Hope Once More Takes
the Place Of Dependency.
WASHINGTON, August q.
In the earlier stages Of the Presidents
case, when his vitality was still strong, and
while changes in his condition from better
to worse and from worse to better corre-
sponded with the ebb and flow OF the surgi-
cal fever, it was noticeable that the low tide
Of physical condition came in the evening
and the high tide Of Improvement in the
early morning. The febrile rise was then
the most prominent feature of the case,
and as this periodical increase of fever was
largely due and caused by disturbances, ex-
element, the heat and the surgical manip-
ulations of the day, it reached its culmina-
ton in the evening. During the night the
absence Of all exciting and disturbing infiu-
ences, and the rest and refreshment of
sleep, caused q gradual improvement in the
PATIENTS symptoms, and his condition
morning. Since, however, the manifesto.
tions of fever became secondary In
importance to the manifestations of
exhaustion, the high and low tides of con-
ditfon, il they may be SO called, have so far
as time is considered been exactly reversed.
The patient now seems to have his worst
hours in the early morning and his best
hours In the afternoon and evening. His
system sinks during the night and rallies in
the early part of the day. This tagging of
all the Presidents vital energies in the
morning was especially noticeable to-day.
Between four and seven q. IN. his pulse
was high and feeble, his mental condition
rather Respondent, and all his symptoms
discouraging. Most of the members of the
Cabinet were at the Executive Man
sion at an early hour, and the fact
that they did not leave after the appearance
Of the morning bulletin was one of the many
indications that both they and the surgeons
felt the gravest apprehensions. The bulle-
tin was of a mesger and rather unsatisfac-
tory character, but it clearly indicated a
change for the worse, and all information
obtainable unofficially from the surgeons
was fully in correspondence with 1t. Soon
after the morning examination, however,
the patient rallied slightly, the range Of his
pulse became lower, q faint improvement
was apparent in its tone, and before noon
the urgent alarm of the early morning began
to subside. About noon most of the Cabinet
officers left the Executive Mansion, feeling
assured that even at the worst death was
not imminent. The Presidents condition
at noon, as described by several of the at
tending surgeons, was substantially as
follows: In the first place, his exhaustion
had become very threatening and danger
GUS feature Of the case. His stomach, en-
feebled by the poisoned condition of the
blood, seemed unable to properly and COM
pletely assimilate the food given it, and the
result was steady and unmistakable fail
ure of all the vital powers, indicated by
higher. feebler and more fluctuating pulse.
less satisfactory condition of the wound,
and until to-day a considerable degree of
mental disturbance. The condition of the
SWOLLEN parotid gland had not changed in
any respect for the better. There had been a
slight discharge Of pus both from the incis-
ion made several days ago and from the
u rifce Of the ear, but its quantity was
not sufficient to relieve the Inflammation or
diminish the size of the swelling. The gland
continued, therefore, to exert a depressing
and dangerous influence upon the patients
already weakened vitality, and there was no
prospect Of any immediate change for the
better in its character. The process of re.
pair along the track of the ball had ceased,
and the granulations were becoming no.
ticeably less perfect. The pus discharged
by the wound was also unnatural in ap-
nrHI ,p~afo
vorable symptoms were due directly
or indirectly to the Initiated condition
of the blood. In the opinion of the
surgeons the danger of death from exhaus-
ton might be avoided were it not for the
condition Of the gland, but it seemed very
doubtful whether the process of repair could
begin or go on in the presence of that COM
able features of the Presidents case at noon.
The only favorable symptoms were the con-
tinued ability Of the stomach to take and
end E e'ssss ~" after ;Se
Presidents attendants reported slight i'm.
provement in his condition. At two p. m.
Colonel Rockwell sent the following tcle.
gram to w. N. Robertson, New York:
cat this hour 1.-TWO o'clock) the President
is quite comfortable. His pulse is III. He
voluntarily remarked that he felt stronger
than yesterday. Whatever the future may
bring he has not yet given any signs of dis
solution. He said years ago that 1t was
always the unexpected that was happening
with him.
Later in the afternoon the surgeons adj
mitted that some of the Presidents symp.
toms were more encouraging. His pulse
slightly improved quality, and his mental
faculties were clearer and more active than
at any time during the past week. Both
these symptoms were taken as indications Of
improved nutrition. The President himself
voluntarily said several times in the course
of the afternoon to his attendants that he
thought he felt better than he did yesterday,
erl days he found himself able to taste the
food which he swallowed. The $3.50 official
bulletin showed a slight ameliOratiOn OF the
patients symptoms, and. although the
change was too trifling to justify any great
amount of encouragement, it was eagerly
themselves to believe that the President
would die, as ground for renewed hope.
Dr. Bliss, in )nversation with the Rev. DR..
Powers, pastor of President Gartield's
church, said about seven O'Clock that the
President had had thus far rather better
day than was anticipated this morning. He
did not think there was enough change,
however, as yet to justify any anticipations
of recovery or to modify the views enter
tanned by himself and the other surgeons as
to the extreme gravity of the crisis. ''If,"
he said. "the President gets through to-
morrow rs well as he has to-day, l think
there will be some ground for encourage
ment." ..z..s--.
Last evening, after seeing the President
comfortably settled for the night, DR.. Bliss
went to the surgeons room and threw HIM
self on a couch to get little rest; but he
found it impossible to sleep without first
satisfying himself with regard to the extent
and significance of the patients recent inn
provement. About two o'clock one of the
attendants called him and said the Presi-
dent was awake. Upon going into the sick
room he found the slightly improved condt-
ton Of the afternoon fully maintained. The
patient seemed cheerful and better; his
mind was perfectly clear, and his pulse was
steady at about 104. The regular watches
taken by General Swain, Colonel Rock
well, DR.. Edison and DR.. Boynton were
not maintained during the night, for the
reason that these attendants were all too
anxious to sleep,and none ofthem were will
ing to be absent for any great length Of time