Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-03-06
es...r.i Grant. C..aislo..


For some time past intimate personal
friends of General Grant have been
! aware that the cancereus affection with
which the General has been afflicted for
some months was rapidly developing
With very dangerous Isndency-- The
true state of the disease and his unfa-
vorable condition were, however, kept
secret from the general public. Now
and then the New York papers would
publish rather alarming reports of his
condition, but they were denied by the
| family.and attending physicians. Sat
urday, the true condition Of the General
was made public by his family for the
first time. 1t unfortunately proves
that there was little or no foundation
for the recent favorable reports circu-
lated, and that the General far from BE-
ing OIL the road to recovery, Is rapidly
approaching the end. His family and
the attending physicians generally all
mitted that there Is little or no hope
that he will recover.
In regard to the condition OF the Gen.
eral, Colonel Frederick Grant said Sat-
urday afternoon my father Is very
sick man. There is 10 use in longer
DENYING the fact. We have made every
effort to keep the true facts from the
public; we knew that as soon as 1t should
become known that he was dangerously
i'll. there would be hundreds Of letters
coming In with every mail, anG this
would only excite him and make his
cure less hopeful. My father has had
little rest for the past few nights. He
was up and about his room fol a little
while yesterday, and we hope 10 get
him up again to-day, but he is suffering
constant pain in the ear and head. For
any facts concerning the nature OF the
disease, L will have to refer you to his
physicians. l am overwhelmed with
work and care. have had little sleep
for = number of nights, as | have to
be up with my father and have to look
over and answer his mail. The doctors
who are attending him are DR.. Fordyce
Barker, DR.. J. H. Douglass and DR.. ID.
b. Sands, Of New York, and DR.. L. M.
Marker of Philadelphia"
While at Long Branch last summer
the ex-President was greatly annoyed
by persistent irritation in his throat
that was attended with considerable In
Hammation. He thought nothing OF It
ut first, aud concluded that it WAS only
a severe cold. 1t continued, however,
and the extent and intensity Of the in
hammation increased, though somewhat
slowly. At the solicitation of his fam
lily and friends he sought the advice
of local physician, who advised his
speedy return to New York city Tor
treatment. The General, however, de-
layed coming to the city until! In The
autumn. His throat had been gra lually
growing worse all the time, and when
he called OH DR.. Fordyce Barker, in
| October, lie was unable to swallow with
out great pain, and articulated with diff.
hculty. The base Of the tongue, roof
! af the mauth and palate were then the
seat of an angry Inflammation. DR..
Barker called DR.. j. N. Douglass, who
has made the treatment of cancers
speciality, into consultation. A careful
examination was made of the Generals
throat and he was told that it was in
rather serious condition and that the
disease was of all epithellal character.
The true nature Of the disease was with
held from him. General Grants fam
lily, however, were Informed that it was
a cancer, that there was little chance OF
his recovery, and that he might die in
a short time. The General was then
smoking necessarily, and his physicians
restricted him to one cigar after each
meal, and only about one-half Of the Gle
gar was to be smoked. He tried this
plan for few days, but finding that the
tobacco smoke irritated his throat, he
stopped smoking entirely of his own ac-
cord. 1t was expected that this sudden
change of habit would be greatly inju-
rious to his general health, but there
were no bad results noticeable, and his
nervous system despite this great shock
remained strong and vigorous. The
General had bad tooth that irritated his
tongue, and after it was removed his
condition was much improved locally.
The disease at the point where the
tongue is united to the tonsal was spe.
cially virulent in character, but it sue
cumbed to remedies, especially to the
use of cocaine, so that the General was
made comfortable and suffered little
pain. The roof of the mouth was in
the worst condition at the point where
the smoke would strike it when inhaled
from cigar. Despite all treatment its
al ha hI,,aI