The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-03-12
NEARING THE END.
Malignant Cancer Rapidly Destroying
the Life of Ulysses s.
Grant.
New York teleorarn-


In regard TO Gen. Grants health, Col. Freder-
lex Grant'said TO a Post reporter this afternoon
My father Is a very sick man. There Is no use
IN longer denying the tact. We have made every
effort to keep the true facts from the public,
because we knew that, as soon az 1t should be-
COME known that he was dangerously ill, there
with every mai. and this would only
excite him and make his cure less hopeful.
For any Facts concerning the nature OF his dis
who are attending him are DR. Fordyce Barker.
Dr. j. H. Douglas. and DR.. ii. Il. Sands, of this
city. and Dr. L. nj. Merker. of Philadelphia"
sible Tor the ros Q colored report that appeared
in the Medical Journal last week. Two days
before the report was published had
a conversation with DR.: Sands at Gen.
Grants house. As a result of the consulta-
ton we botn decided that the cancerous growth
at the root of the tongue was hardening and
steadily growing worse Microscopical examina
ton by an expert proved beyond doubt that the
was one OF the malignant epithelial growth.
Gen. Grant is,a very sick man. i think there is
little or no hope that he will recover. He is
breaking down, but has displayed much cour-
age For a month he has done as much as six
or eight hours work day, but he has had but
little sleep for the past eight days. We have
tried to keep the knowledge OF his true condition
from the General, because he has so many
other troubles t. bear. / have all along
maintained that his trouble IL from cancerous
growth at the root OF the tongue, caused, I'M
doubtedly. by excess in smoking. Every time
he speaks, breathes, eats, this Is distur bed.
1t IL difficult to treat IL for that reason. There
are timesSwhen the growth has been Temporal
and In steadily increasing. There has been
considerable loss OF tissue Of the soft
palate palate. He takes un nourishment eyeP day in 2
because he has lost all his teeth. They were ex-
tracted in the hope of easing the paiIin his face
This pain, although1it resembles Neuralgia, IL
not that pure and simple, but Is a reflection of
the pain caused by the cancer In the throat He
has been suffering from severe pain in the
right ear and on the top Of the head. To ease
this his head Is kept wrapped in hot hannels. 1
can not say how near the end is. He may live
for a month yet. as men suffering from this dis
ease have done, but do not think there is any
hope that he will ever recover.
DIR. Douglas was asked to describe the con-
dition OF his patient He said:
Gen Grant Is a very sick man. His body and
hands are greatly emaciated, and he is losing
flesh daily. He can not recover from the dis
ease, and his death Is only question of time.
He is losing his grip on life, and has not the
blows TO his strength. He may live for weeks
months. The progress OF the disease may be
put in allegiance by natural forces, although at
it is w sp S Il Us not S
by exhaustion. 1t Is impossible to give him
stimulants. as they injure his throat was seri-
ously alarmed from the first. but thought his
condition fair, and that his life might be pro-
ionged for months, until this liberation set in.
can not tell how long he will live. IL is fatal
disease, which will sooner or later terminate
months or IN six months. don't see how il
can be beyond six months.
Gen. Grant came to me first on Oct. % last
and asked me to examine his throat i did so,
and saw at once that ne was suffering from
a cancer 1 did not wish to brighten
him by telling him this, so i said he
had an epithelial trouble. He asked me IL
II was not cancer, and told him the disease
was OF capcerous character In mild
form. It probably arose from excessive smok-
ing, combined with other causes. He had been
suffering from IL since June. at once told his
family of the nature OF the disease, and they
know how serious the case is. L think the Gen.
coming down TO see me pretty much every morn
ing. The cancer continued TO grow worse, al
though its growth has not been steady. The
hardened part Of the cancer Is at the root OF the
tongue on the right side. The liberation is in
the soft palate just above where the tonsils lie
seem to mind the deprivation OF tobacco
At one time he had severe pain in the left ear,
and that was checked by removing bad tooth.
4 he dentist found that several other teeth were
in n bad condition. aud advised their removal,
which was done. The loss of these teeth has pre-
vented Gen. Grant from chewing solid food He
eats minced meat. terrapin and other soft food,
he swallows more readily than he did two months
ago. This is probably due to the fact that the
liberation has relaxed some OF the membranes.
lie takes a good deal of nourishment. although
he does not want 20 eat. as the effect OF the dis
ease is TO destroy all appetite. The bad
He caught slight cold. The cancer Is what is
called a benign cancer. and IL 10 were any
where else on the body we could at least hold IL
I'm abeyancc. As it Is, an operation would ac-
oomplish no good. II would be quite impossi-
BILE to cut 1t out from the root Of the tongue"