The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-07-26


symptoms this afternoon were ali If the mos
encouraging characted he expire sad great
qualification and asked DR.. Bliss 10 convey tO
Mrs Garfield his sincere sympathy ard good
wishes
DR.. Bliss on the Presumption that Blood
,e Poisoning:Had Begun.
This morning Dr. Bliss was shown the com.
ments Of the New York Herald on the conduct
Of the Presidents case. After reading it at.
tentively, the doctor said: 'Well, don't you
think that events have answered the criticism
better than 1 could? The whole article is
founded on the presumption that pyamia had
begun. Well, pyamia has not shown itself
and, III my opinion, it never will. The occur
renee OF the chill and other symptoms at
tendant upon the creation of an al ,ess. beina
very nearly like those which would indicate
the beginning of blood poisoning, excited The
fears of some that the latter had occurred.
never thought so, although I knew it was
possible. There were none Of the conditions
favorable to blood poisoning. The patient,
system was healthy one to begin with, and
has never become dangerously reduced He
has taken and has assmilated nourishment
enough to prevent that. His surroundings as
to ventilation and temperature are, of course
the best possible, and his treatment has been
reverse OF irritatory. L have not dreaded
have, nevertheless, kept it in mind to be
guarded against. The formation of a pus
cavity such as has been punctured was not sur
prlsing. There would be no reason for sur
prise If another cavity formed. Not until
death and dissection should allow us to ex
plore the whole course Of the ball, and show
us all the damage it had wrought, would we
be able to positively know the exact condition
OF the wound. We can say, however, that we
certainly know more about it than news
paper editor 200 or 800 miles away. If we had
cut and probed, as the writer in the Herald
ph tn hou fhnr hot
been columns printed calling US butchers and
asserting that the President was killed by the
probe instead of the bullet"
swell, doctor, the President is in the right
track again, is he not?"
eyes, am sure he is. Of course, he is a
very sick man, and he is not out of danger
but l believe we shall have him back in few
days to where he was before the latest trouble
began. He is doing we'll this morning, and
passed a pretty good night. His pulse and
temperature are now below 100."
The wound is working we'll The President
bore the examination bravely. The sleep OF
last night did him good. 1t was several times
prolonged to an hour without waking. He has
taken his beef juice frequently, and his stom.
ach retains it without disturbance. think we
will have good day and gain little.' DIR.
Hamilton refused to say moro than that every
night.
Opinions Of Mrs. DR.. Edison and DR.. Ag-
new.
WASHINGTON, July 25.-Mrs Edison, the
Presidents nurse, is reported to have said
'The chill on Saturday morning found the
President in q weak condition. He was al
ways before that bright in the morning, but
he felt bad yesterday morning. One of the
reasons for this was that he did not get good
rest the night before"
The relapse was a natural result of the
wound, and was not superinduced by over
talking, malaria, or the host of other things
charged with it. The chances were, if more
dangerous symptoms did not develop, that the
President would recover from the effects OF
yesterday in four or five days. Every one in
the White House was alarmed, and the sec
ond chill was very discouraging, but she did
not know until to-day that anyone on the out
side knew OF the change in his condition She
says the President understands that his con
dition is grave, and has known so all along,
and that nothing has been concealed from him
by his physicians. That it was this full
knowledge, more than anything else, that
helped him through yesterday morning. He
did not complain of being weak, though he
said he felt tired and worn out. She says that
the unfavorable change affected Mrs. Gar
field very much, but that whenever by the
bedside she wore cheerful look never betray-
in the slightest her innermost feeling. "The
wife of the President" she said, ''feels as
long as her strength will keep she will remain
outwardly calm-and the charm of her pres
ence will smooth away the responding feeling
to which the suffering of the President may
make him give away" In answer to the d.
rect question as to whether the President
would finally recover, she said: "We have
not lost hope, and though this may delay his
recovery He will pull through provided no
other dangerous symptom shows ITSELF"
A hopeful view is attributed to DIR. Agnew,
according to which be said the abscess lay in
side the muscles and rendered deep cut ne
cessary. Tho Presidents stomach was so sem
sitive that it was not deemed advisable to put
him under the influence of an@Sthetic. He
bore the pain with fortitude, and the free flow
of pus showed that the operation was the
thing to be done. The abscsss was caused by
the fractures Of the rib. The new opening is
large enough to prevent any accumulation at
that point hereafter, and will be kept open as
long as necessary. 81 don't feel appreheu-
sive," said DR.. Agnew, "of any occurrence of
the difficulty at that point. The rapid i'm
provement in the Presidents pulse and tenn
perature just after the operation showed that
the relieved abscess was the source of the I'M
favorable symptoms I am still hopeful of
the Presidents recovery, and see no reason to
be dssmayed." DR.. Agnew is also reported to
have said: "The bullet did not hit the rib
where it entered the body, but went down
obliquely, striking the rib. The rib was shat
tered below where the ball had struck, and
in consequence an abscess was found. 1t had
no connection with the course of the wound
but was below it. The fact OF the matter is
the pus was there; how it got there is another
question, but by inserting drainage tube in
she new opening there was free discharge of
pus The Dus was healthy and furnished no
unfavorable Indications"
Were there any indications of blood pois-
oning?"
"None at all. The discharge of pus obvi-
ates that"
What are the prospects, Doctor"
well If another abcsess forms the President
will have another attack like this one"
But will another abscess form?''
IL can't say, but can say, however, that
where it did than anywhere else But an abb
scess is likely to form at any place along the
track of the wound"
"How does the President look, Doctor?"
THE President looks natural, and his face
has undergone no great change"
us he as sick as he is said to be?'
"The President is very sick man and by no
means out OF DANGER" said the Doctor, senten-
tiously.
Locating the Bullet.
NEW YORK, July pa Washington de-
spatch this afternoon says the President is
thought to be once more on the road to recov-
cry, but all admit it will be a long and tor
turus road with many dangers yet to be over
come DIR. Agnew, it has been learned, is
important it should be removed from the body
if this can possibly be done with safety. He
experimental yesterday upon an old soldier
who has bullet in his body, but was not al
together satisfied with the electrical appara-
tus of Prof. Bell. The electricians thought
they had definitely located the bullet in the
old ssoldier's body, but DR.. Agnew did not
agree with them. Some Of the physicians are
to think the ball after all may not
have touched the liver and that it is lodged in
the muscles Of the lower part of the back or in
the spine. There are said to be some indica-
tions that DR.. Agnew was of that opinion and
that he has never expressed the belief that
the bullet did pass through the liver.
British Sympathy.
LONDON, July 25.-The Standard says in
England every incident of President Garfield's
illness is watched with keen but mournful in
terest. Had he been British statesman it
would have been hardly possible for the Eng
lish people to have manifested truer senti-
ment of sympathy than that which they have
extended to his family and to his country.
In no part of the United States will the news
that Mr.. Garfield is out of danger be more
joyfully received than in England. In no part
of the Union will tidings Of his death, should
that melancholy event occur, excite deeper or
more genuine feeling of sorrow than they
would produce throughout Her Majestys Eng
fish speaking dominions.
THE TNDTANS