Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-08-07
STATEMENT OF DIR. SHRADY.
The Cause of General Grants Disease
How the Physicians Regard it.


New YORK, July 3O.-The next number
of the Medical Record will contain an ar
ticle by DR.. Shrady, describing General
Grants illness from it's inception to the
end. The alarming hemorrhage on April
Z, DR., Shrady says, was due to the detach-
ment of portion of the slough from the
right side of the pharynX. No large vessel
was implicated. The separation of the
slough was anxiOusly awaited and when
it did occurr, the patient, as was expected,
became much relieved of many of his
more distressing local symptoms and of
his depressed bodily condition. Then it
was announced by the press because the
General had rallied the physicians had
erred in diagnosing the case and the
patients chances of recovery were good.
Much as this happy result was to be hoped
for the stubborn fact of the existence of
the original disease and of its steady pro-
gress towards an evitably fatal issue was
painfully apparent to the gentlemen
watching the case The return of the pa
tents strength was not a surprise to his
physicians. 1t was was what they aimed
to bring about by the treatment employed.
The gratifying change for the better was
believed to be simply of temporary
character Death directly or indirectly
due to extension of the throat disease was
question of few months at most. The
temporary rally of the patients strength
was taken advantage of in every possible
way to conserve his vital forces and make
his last days as comfortable as possible.
The success attending these efforts was
manifested in many ways He, however,
possessed in a remarkable degree the fac
ulty OF REFRESHING his feelings, bearing his
pain and maintaining his mental com
posture, all of which was calculated to de-
celve casual observer as to the real eX-
tent of his suffering In the midst of this
and with constant reminder of approach
ing death, he stocially gave himself up to
the composition of his life's story, anxious
that he should live long enough to finish
it.
The progress of the local disease was
steady from the beginning The loss of
the palate and adjacent soft parts occa-
stoned great difficulty in swallowing. This
was most painfully marked toward the
end. His nourishment which for six
months was always in liquid form was
seldom taken without some choking
These paroXysms, however, became quite
severe. 1t was only by his supreme self
control and calm determination to sustain
his powers to the end that he was enabled
to take his allotted quantity of food At
no time, however, was strangulaton
threatened. During all his illness his
breathing was not mechanically impeded
by the extension of the disease into the
larynX. Just before he was transferred
his voice never to regain it. This was
due partly to the thickening of the cords
by the lnfammatory infiltration and
partly to relaxation of the
parts from general weakness. His food
consisted OF beef extract, milk, eggs and
farinaceous materials, always in liquid
form. During the last two days of his
life he began to fail very perceptibly. Dr.
Sands and myself, who had been previ
ously summoned at the final consultation
Ilr Han hat t1.
was near and that nothing more was tC
be done than to make the patient as com
Portable as possible. The General haC
then lost Instability to swallow hi'
pulse was l20 per minute and feeble, ant
his resplrations 25 per minute ant
shallow. His consciousness gradually lief
him at midnight. Continuing to sink, III
died without a struggle at sos a. m.
Thursday, July %, 1885. Much to the re
greet of the entire staff no autopsy wa
permitted.
So ended a remarkable case. The dis
ease had a much shorter course than i
usually the case, owing to the prostratiol
of the patients system, dependent in
great measure upon other causes TIL
cause of the disease is this case is largel
conjectured 1t is however. quite prob
able that the irritation of smoking wa
the active cause of the cancer in Genera
Grants case, or that it is fair to presum
that he would not not have had the dis
choc II hio hdDlu itti nOb Dctll CdTTltu 1
excess. As far as can he estimated tn
cancer commenced only nine months bt
fore death. General Grant was happil
spared the agony of suffering which
often associated with the invasion of tn
deeper parts of the tongue by cameron
disease. Such pain as existed, however
was kept under control by cocaine an
morphine, so that the last wish of tn
patient, that his death would be a peac
full one, was fully realized.
The President and Cabinet will Atten
Grants FuneraI-ConsulsR Retained.
WAsHINGTON, July 30.-The Cabine
meeting to-day was attended by all tn
members Reference was made to IL
Grant obsequies and it was decided thd
the President and all the members of h
Cabinet would attend the funeral GER
monies in New York city.
The President has decided to retain IL
following United States consuls on a