The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-20

something About the Four Physicians Who
Have the Case in Charge.


Have the Case in Charge.
Special 70 the Indianapolis journal.
NEW YORK. April 19--The astonishing recov-
cry Of General Grant from a supposed dying
condition to something like convalescence, has
transferred some of the interest which was so
generally aroused in his welfare to the four
physicians connected with the curious case. The
most eminent Of them is DR.. Fordyce Barker
lie has been the Generals family physician
ever since they lived in this city, though Grant
himself required only slight and widely separated
attention, until his fall year ago last Christ
mas In alighting from his carriage to an icy
sidewalk, he slipped and came down with great
force hurting his thigh so badly that for weeks he
was confined 10 the house. and for months had to
use a cane in walking. When the throat trouble
came on at Long Branch last summer, Barker
was summoned, Specialtes in medical practice
encouraged by the profession in New York,
and even so well-esta blished a practitioner as
Barker made haste to call in an expert in throat
diseases as soon as he became convinced that
something very serious was the matter.
His choice was DIR. j. H. Douglas,
who had a reputation among physl-
clans. though not to great extent with the gen
eral public, in diseases of the larynx After
Barker and Douglas had attended upon the
patient ten days, and he had steadily grown
worse, consultation with other doctors was
proposed Grant favored this. and he desired
that one of the additional men should be Dr.
George #. Shrady, personal acquaintance, and
that was the way in which he got into the case.
Barker chose DIR. Henry B. Sands. Thus, the
staff was composed, and it has remained so.
''The first consultation which we held says
DIR. Shrady, twas to decide as to the advisable
ity of an operation. In consequence of the To-
-cstfon Of the cancer, and the danger to life in
volyed in surgery sufficiently heroic to remove
tho cancer, it unanimously decided not to
make the attempt. We spent hours in careful
examination and discussion, and finally conelud-
ed upon course of treatment, which has
throughout been maintained"
Dr. Shrady would not give the particulars of
that treatment, nor sag whether not there
was complication of diseases. The constant
attendants upon Grant have been Douglas and
Shrady. while Barker and Sands have merely
made daily calls, the importance of their duties
elsewhere precluding them from acting i'll any
other capacity than that of advisory physicians.
Dr. Sands is fifty-fvc years old. He is above
the medium height, and wears eyeglasses, be-
hind which his eyes sharply piercing. His
voice is mellow, with confident ring to it, The
top of his head is bald, and the gray hair at the
sides is brushed smoothly back. His military
mustaehe is dark, and he is suspected of dying
it. Altogether, he is handsome. aud his air of
wisdom is apt to reassure a patient. he began
practice in 1854, ard six years later went into
partnership with the late Willard Parker, whose
large practice no retained He is consulting
surgeon in four of our large public hospitals and
professor of clinical surgery in the College of
Physicians and Surgeons His skill with the
scalpel is wonderful. and to younger physicians
he is a very domigod of surgery. He writes for
medical journals, and some of his books are
standard authority. He rides to and from
Grants house, attended by two liveried SER
wants
Dr. Barker is sixty-eight years old His col
lege was Bowdoin, and his first doctoring was
done in Norwich, Conn. Later he was pro
lessor at Bowdoin, and in 1850 he came to New
York to take similar position in the Medical
College and Bellevue Medical School. He has
Deen president of the Academy of Medicine six
of three hospitals. He holds an honorary degree
from the Medical University of Paris aud the
Medical University of London. He is the author
Of numerous medical works. Diseases of women
are his speciality. though he has general prac
tice. In person he is decidedly handsome-tall
and erect, with imposing presence and manner.
He wears his gray hair long, and his face is
clean shaven, except for long and carefully
brushed side whiskers. He speaks with huski-
ness due to disorder of tho throat, which al
the special skill of his brother doctors has failed
TO cure. But for that he would be q fine lectur-
er in style as the students say he is in matter.
Horses are his diversion. and in former days he
did great deal of driving with Grant His
hrougham. drawn by spanking pair of chest
nuts, makes stir when it rolls up to the Grant
residence every afternoon.
Grant is marked by his high estimate of the
professional abilities of those men whom he
socially esteems DR.. Shrady il the doctor of
the four in whom he has the most confidence.
The understanding is that, because he brought
Shrady in. against the wishes of Barker and
Sands. those seniors are inclined to underrate
him. 1t must be said for Dr. Shrady. however,
that he has many ardent admirers He
is rather tall, with clear eyes, high forehead,
a mustache and imperial, and a serious manner
lie is forty fye-the youngest as he is tho hand
soonest of the quartet. His ordinary practice is
among wealthy families. and he is ak attending
or consulting surgeon at three hospitals, besides
editing the Medical Record. He is president of
the New York Pathological Society in which
Office he succeeded DR. Sands-not without
fancor, according 10 report
Dr. Douglas is a white bearded man of sixty
ak He has never done general doctoring, but
froip his graduation devoted himself exclusively
"a diseases OF the throat Thirty years ago he
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