The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-15
lie Also Walks About the Rooms Unaided.
Reads the Newspapers. and Affixes His
Signature to Business Paper.
A Very Surprising Improvement in
the Patients General Condition.
He Requires Less Morphia in Order to Secure
Sleep, and His Friends Think lie May
Live Two or Three Weeks
THE sICK-ROOM.
The General Writes Bulletin-A Marked
nd SInr Iar,s, aax,f

there was quiet in the Grant house. Then the
General arose. and his throat was treated He
was dressed with pants, vest and dressing-gown,
and white handkerchief was folded about his
neck. While Dr. Douglas was writing the first
bulletin, in the library, at G:3O A. NJ the General
walked into the room and sat down near the
physician. When the bulletin was finished DE-.
Douglas read it to General Grant and said:
''Is that right, General9"
''Yes, thats right" responded the sick man.
He frightened with the morning hours, aud at
one time remarked that he felt better than ne
had for two weeks.
General Badeau left the house between and
o'clock. He said that General Grant was GER
tanly stronger and better, and at that time sat
in the library with his legs crossed, reading the
morning papers.
Yesterday morning the Generals throat was
easy, but triAe sore. He desired this condi-
ton to continue and spoke but little Soon
after DR.. Douglas had issued the 6:30 A. NJ. bull
letin, while Mrs. Grant was in an adjoining
room, the Gederal bade the servant bring him q
pad of writing paper On il he wrote o bulletin
as follows:
'.All the doctors tell me I am better this
morning / am better than have been in two
weeks. u. S. GRANT"
Having so written, the General handed his
bulletin to the servant and told him he should
carry it to Mrs. Grant, who was sitting in the
library, almost within sight of her husband.
The servant delivered the message with for
malty. Mrs. Grant read it, showed it to DR..
Douglas, and both, laughing, entered the sick
room, where pleasantries passed, the General
joining with smile.
This evening Colonel Grant remarked that his
father had walked more during the day than for
several days. During the day he had signed a
business paper, but last evening he was trife
less bright, because of the fatigue resulting
from his activity during the day.
A gentleman who is thoroughly conversant
with General Grants ailments said tonight:
'The marvellous improvement in the Generals
condition is not at all surprising to me. He
may live two or three weeks and he may live
four months. If he survives till the early part
Of the summer he will be taken out of the city,
probably to the mountains. If he had strength
enough, Think he would like to go to California.
If he improves in the same ratio during the next
few days, he will be riding in the park this
week. He does not require so much morphia
now, as only six drops of the solution were in
iected tonight, instead of the customary ten
drops. He partook of three varieties of nour-
ishment to-day, and the General, being in
facotious mood, alluded to the food as his three
courses"
DR.. Shrady left the house at $50, at which
time he said the General was doing well, and
would pass a comfortable night. DR.. Shrady
has returned and will remain until morning
General Grant, during the afternoon
and evening" walked several times
from his bedroom to the library
and enjoyed the company of different members
of his family. At 10 o'clock he retired. and
since that time he has been sleeping on his chair
His cough is not troublesome, and the secretion
of mucus is slight His pulse and temperature
are unchanged, and there is at present 10 p. NJ
promise of him having good nights rest.
The Generals Condition on Sunday.
New York Special, 18th.
General Grant spent last night in his arm
chair. No doctors bulletins or authorized state
ments can convey to the public a better idea of
the weak and enfeebled condition of the dying
warrior than the admission to-day that he was
unable to lie on his couch last night, that NOR
hours sleep on Saturday night and failed to
give him any last night, except a light doze in
his chair, and that the continued racking of his
throat through coughing has laid the sore parts
SO bare and raw that every breath he draws
brings with it pain and suffering General
Grant is a man of strong vital power and vigor-
ous constitution, but even these must give way
shortly to the terrible strain to which they have
been subjected for months.
General Grant was not the only one however
who failed to secure needed rest last night.
Col. Fred Grant, DR.. Shrady and the nurses re-
mained almost constantly in the sick room, and
the members of the family, apprehensive Of dan
ger, made frequent visits to it The whole
household was momentarily expecting a change
in the Generals condition, and was prepared for
a summons to witness his last moments Dr.
Shrady tried in vain to make his patient feel
well enough to make use of his couch, but every
time the experiment was tried it proved dis
astrous failure. 1t brought on renewed cough
ing spells and sleep was out of the question.
Finally just before o'clock an injection of NOR
phine had the effect of inducing a light doze
while he was resting in his chair. He remained
in this position until morning. waking every
few minutes however to dislodge the con-
stantly gathering secretons in his throat
DIR. Shrady at times lost all control of his pa
tent, who rebelled, declining to follow his ply
sicians orders He refused to take the nourish~
ment offered him when he awoke only just
before o'clock and on another time said that
he would rather suffer than permit the local
applications of relief
Col Fred Grant was in the room all night
but only once did his father give any sign or
recognition This was after rather long doze
in his chair, when no suddenly awoke and found
his son standing almost in front of him, looking
intently at him while asleep The General
- 4 l.a1e L., . Aar cd