The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-19
His Dependency on the Afternoon Of That
Day Caused by Temporary Weakness and
Inability to Use His Voice.
DR.. Sands Discovers No Alarming Symp-
toms, and Returns to New York.
The General Still Unable to Use His Voice, and
Compelled to Resort to Pencil and Paper
to Make Known His Wishes.
AT THE DRExEL COTTAGE.
Good Nights Rest-Cause of the Generals
Despondency on Wednesday.

A Good Nights Rest-Cause of the Generals
Dependency ON Wednesday.
Mr. McGREGoR, June 19.-After DR.. Douglas
had attended General Grant, at o'clock this
morning the General fell asleep and slept the
greater part of the time till 8 o'clock, when DR..
Douglas again treated his throat with cocaine
and left him to dose, which he did until o'clock.
He was dressed at 10, but remained indoors, and
at noon had not appeared outside The physi-
clan said that the Generals condition this morn
ing was not worse than yesterday so far as
related to the local trouble. The Generals
voice, he thought, was somewhat improved this
morning. The loss of his voice has been a cause
of dependency with General Grant since Sunday
last. Yesterday morning he could make him
self heard with words, but when, as the day
advanced, his voice completely failed, the Cen
eral grew very despondent. This, added to the
bad results of too much exercise yesterday, and
both of these supplemented by extreme mental
agitation, late in the afternoon and evening,
family and physicians, and the ground on which
DIR. Douglas summoned DR.. Sands.
Dr. Sands arrived at 1l30 this morning, and he
and DR.. Douglas are now 1:30 Pm. with the Gen
eral. The doctors finished their examination Of
the Generals throat at 2:45 o'clock. The Cen
eral then appeared on the piazza, where the
family were awaiting him, to sit with them. and
have family picture taken. After sitting for
the picture the General remained on the piazza,
| reading the morning papers. In the meantime
the doctors were in consultation. They had
found tho CHeneral'S rr1sa tn ha 70 Dr Sands
found no particular change in the condition of
the throat since Sunday, and both doctors dsbe-
lieye that there is immediate danger of death
Seven hours of refreshing sleep, the usual TAX
ing of liquid food absence of unusual pain,
quiet of body and no unusual mental strain,
constitute the record for General Grant from 9
o'clock Of Wednesday night to S o'clock this
afternoon The fatigue that followed his I'M
wise exertion in walking yesterday, was warn
ing which so good patient as General Grant
will not let 60 unheeded. Mindful of this he has
passed quiet day physically. To what degree
his mind has been active, is known only by the
General though the doctors would be glad to
share such knowledge, as his mental and phys-
cal condition last evening were running nearly
level. So feeble and trembling was the
Generals body then, that even his
sturdy pluck seemed to weaken, He
was distraught in mind, discouraged
at heart and weak in body and because of this
wrote the letters to his physician and family
which he would gladly recall to-day. But while
unusual temporary weakness may have oc-
casioned the Generals dependency on Wednes-
day evening, he knows, and has within a week
expressed to near friend his own assurance that
he is constantly growing weaker and more ex-
hausted; he was not deceived in this, and no
effort was made to lead the General to false
hope. He was last week frankly told that he
was fading out, and that at the end he would
probably pass away peacefully, of heart failures
when the handspring of vitality had uncoiled and
when the physical machinery had run down
it would stop. Such is the Generals
anticipation of the end, which he calmly realizes
is not a long way distant, and impossible to
avert. His courage sank to low ebb, and
realizing the powerful influence of the mind
upon physical conditions such as obtain now in
General Grants case, Dr. Douglas summoned
DR.. Sands The latter came, found no alarming
symptoms, saw the General in better spirits,
and at $50 this evening started back TO New
York. Temporary influences may render the
General again, and at any time, apprehensve,
and following day may see his spirits restored
but all the while the vicious sore upon his tongue
is deepening and, as it progresses, so
does the Generals vitality wane He
has full knowledge of this. and that knowledge
will at all times be background against which
may appear temporary changes for better or
cannot at any time deceive the sick man, nor OBJ
scure the certainty that dissolution is each day
nearer.
While on the piazza, this afternoon, General
Grant shook hands with Dr. NJ. Babcock
brother of the late Gen. O. Il. Babcock and
with wave of the hand presented him to Drs
Douglas and Sands, to whom the visitor further
introduced himself. DR.. Newman and Jesse
Grant arrived this afternoon.
THE EVENING AND THE NIGHT.
General Grant spent the evening indoors with
his family, and DR.. Douglas and Rev. DR.. New
man. During the afternoon he had been cough
ing occasionally but not violently and this even
ing he coughed at times in clearing his throat
when he was speedily relieved by the physician
During the evening he wrote the following words
upon a card, which he handed to DIR. Newman:
lit is Just a week today since have spoken
NV suffering is continuous The doctors Sands
and Douglas say my ailment is improving"
A little before o'clock General Grant wrote q
few words upon a card, which he passed to Mrs.
Grant, and which read as follows:
ASK DR.. Newman to have prayers. want to
retire early"
The request was complied with, and at 0
o'clock DIR. Douglas and the nurse composed the
the General for the night in his room. Half an
hour afterward the Doctor, in conversation,
said he thought the General was tired. though
quiet The expectoratinn that SO weakens the
patient was the Doctor thought, some.
what sahated, and the General seemed inclined
to sleep. When asked ii he intended to remain
here with the General, DIR. Douglas said he was
not certain he would do so, lie might after a