New-York tribune., 1885-07-23
GENERAL GRANTS MALADY.
HISTORY OF HIS LONG SICKNESS.
WHEN 1T WAS FIRST OBsERvED-dIvINa UP sM0K-
ING-PRoGRRss OF THE CANCER.

niO4OhA OI Ai1o AIOA~o OAON~'~>>>~'
WHEN 1T WAS FIRST oBsERvED-oIvINa UP sMoK-
INa-PRoGRKss OF THE CANCER.
While summering at Long Branch in 1854,
General Grant suffered from persistent irritation In his
that attended by considerable local nuamna
He thought 1t only the result OF oold put In
June the irritation became annoying that he consulted
Dr. Dc Costa Of Philadelphia who at Long Brarch
He advised that 1t serious matter and that ne
would better seek the advice of his family physclan
Dr. ordyce Barker had been attending ths General for
the injury to his thigh caused by fall on December "a
1885, and ut the time he was advised to seek MS aa'co
DIR. Barker was In Europe. As the condition OF the
Generals throat did become rapidly worse, but by
local applications OF soothing nature the inflammation
was somewhat subdued, he put on seeing physician
until Dr. Barkers return tc this city In OCTOBER on
October 22 he called Dr. Barker, who made an ex-
animation OF his throat and the same day called Dr. D. N.
Douglas who has nade diseases OF the thro"
specially. into consultation Dr. Douglas made minute
examination OF the diseased parts with laryngosope.
The base of the tongue was found inamed consd
eraby swollen and hardened and the roof OF tie mouth
the soft palate and tonss were the seat OF an angry
Inflammation The General ut this time was unable to
swallow without pain and artouated with difncuty.
The Of the disease withheld frors him
and he told that 1t Of ephelial character.
His family, however, were Informed that IL was an
epthelloma a Of the epitheum; that 1t was
serious affair aud liable to terminate fatally.
The General then smoking on an average about
fifteen cgas daily; he restricted by his Physicians
three day, after each meal the first haf Of tue
cigar only to be smoked. He continued this practice
for few days. but finding that this mlte1 amount
Of tobacco rrated his throat he smoking OF his
accord November 30 II was expected that this
sudden stoppage OF practice that the General had been
addicted to for the greater part OF his life would nduoe
nervous exhaustion and be followed by results more or
less serious. Happily. however, there weres no bad
effects notIceabe his system remained strong
vigoroush appetite UNCHANGED and his general
health unimpaircd. Tho only time nftcrward that he
used tobacco Christmas Day. when he absent
mndcdly lit o cigar. but after taking few puhs, he
threw 1t away. This lifelong habit Of smoking was the
exciting OF the Generals disease, though IN order
produce thelioma there must have been constu-
tional tendency to tho disease.
II agreed between Drs. Barker and Douglas that
Dr. Barker shond look after the general health OF the
patient an2 that Dr. Douglas should attend eciay to
the throat trouble Regularly every day the General
either walked or rode In his carriage TO Dr. Douglass
Office ami had his throat treated. lie suffered consid-
cradle pain In his left ear and having bad tooth upon
that side OF his mouth DIR. Douglas advised that II be
removed and after taken out the pain ceased for
time. After few days. the pain having returned to
extent. number OF other teeth were removed.
OF which eyed ani irrated the tongue. The
neuralgia pain subducd by this operation. though
rendered the General incapable OF mastication lis food
had to be taken q liquid form In solids that had
been chopped fine. Local applications OF
soothing nature daily made to his throat. The
the the tongue and at the point
where tongue and right tonsil unite vruent in
and these parts exceedingly sensitive to
the touch. that when the necessary examinations
were made they caused at times great distres'. The
discovery OF the aneshetc properties Of the
hydro-chorate OF cocaine, which made about the
time that the General went first TO DR.. Dongss. and its
patents reduced the local
Senstveness OF the parts to suoh extent that eating
could be performed without distress and ao pdticn was
rendered more comfortable In every respect
now THE GESERAL PASSED MS TIME.
The General passed his time In routine way. lie
aboat o'clock and either read the papers himself
Or listened to the reading OF them by his IIe
about $3.50. after which he went 10 Dr.
Douglass Office. Upon his return home usually about
IL 80. DO busted himself upon his memoirs. the
articles upon the War that he had contracted to furnish
'or The Century iIo usually wrote rough draft. which
was copied BY Colonel Frederick ID. Grant. General
Badeau was usually present and assisted the Pres
dent In many Details connected with the work General
Grant hts usual energy and kept those who
assisting him busy. c had nearly completed one
OF his book before ho taken sick aud at
work upon the second and nDal volume. lie
lunch at 30 after which the literary labors
cnewOi until $780, Then ths General you'd take u
lrive with member OF his family TOR about two
lours He took dinner al T. ana spent his evenings
playing whist entertaining friends or engaging In some
,ther form OF social recreation or amusement.
lie used h walking account Of the great
tenderness In hi, thigh caused by his fall until January.
when he was abe around with tho ~ OF cane.
md during part Of the month the hip had i'm
proved 80 that he moved around the house without
artificial aid Hc had looked forward to the passage
,f the Retirement bill by Congress with pleas |
irc aul felt conf lent that 1t woali be passed.
rhe bill failed to pass on January 10, and
special dispatch. when he read its cohtents In his
library he sank back into his chair. The expression
ne IN silence. From ths hour that General Grant
Deived this news he sank slowly but steadily. lie |
maintained a cheerful frame OF mind. but IL could lie
seen that this was only by an effort OF his Will The
condition Of bis throat sr which had a = along
nent rapidly became worse aud this was accompanied
by great pny steal aud mental depression.
February l6 "a cold. damp lay Tue General went |
10 Dr. Douglass Office though ADVISED not u do so He
caught cold in his throat when greatly inceasei The
physically ana mentally He was confined to the house
IN the pars and Dr. Douglas treated min at his home
making two visits daily. DIR. Barker went regularly 10
Generars thr1at was examined on February Is 1t
found that the small ulcers that had appeared In the
throat had become active and that the ueeracns had
perforated which constitute the anterior
border of the tonsar cavity The right side OF tue root
Df the tongue aud u neghboring gland Indurated
There were three small warty roof
Df the mouth that showed tendency TO cell profcf-
ion and surrounded by Intense Inflammation. The
,pglottis tree from abnormal growths. and there
ulcers upon the tongue The rapid progress Of
and Drs IT, b. sands aud T. Il. Markoe we're called In
and February 10 consultation was held o. the
patients house between them and Drr. Barker and
Donglas. minute and thorough examination of the
Generals throat madei the method OF Treatment
.mployed by Drs. Douglas and Barker was sanctioned
md practicabty of removing the diseased tissue by
xcsion was considered and abandoned.
USE OF THE MICROSCOPE.
The report OF Dr. George Il. Elliott. who had made
examination OF spcci mems OF tissue taken
rom the patients throat submitted 10 the consulting
hysicans. The report showed that two mcroscopical
examinations had been made. The first made from
scrapngs that had been taken from the surface OF
he right posterior pillar OF tho fauccs. They
we're permitted to dry before they examined aud
little could be determined to their character. TN