The Northern Pacific farmer., 1885-03-26
GENERAL GRANTS CONDITION.:

Two Leading Medical Journals Give r.
ports and Comments upon tho Generals
Condition.
New York, March, 19!-After his visit to Gen
Grant tonight Dr. Douglas said
The general slept seven hours continuously
last night. He WAS very we'll through the day.
He asked for roast mutton, and ate it during
the afternoon and evening: The general revised
enough Of his books to keep the printers busy
three days. When left him tonight he was in
cllned to sleep. The patients throat looks bet
ter this evening. Ithas not the angry appear
anceit has had There was catarrahaf diff
Guilty in the morning that caused gagging, but
no bad results. Cocaine is not now being used,
and there is no pain. There is mental occupa-
tion that renders the general wakeful
MORE MEDICAL LORE
The following will appear in the Medical
Record on Saturday:
During the past week tho local disease of
Gen. Grant has shown no marked tendency
toward progressing liberation. At the recent
weekly consultation Dr. Fordyce Barker was
Henry B. Sands and George F. shrady, who
were present, made a thorough examination of
the generals throat with view of discussing
the expeediency of surgical operation for the
removal of the growth Such measure would
involve tho division of the lower jaw in the
and the greater part of the soft, palate, TO-
gether with the removal of the liberated
and iniltrated fauces and indurated CLAN
Gular structures under the right angle of
the lower jaw. This was considered mechan-
ically possible, despite the close proximity
and probable involvement of tissues adjoining
the large arteries and veins in the neighbor-
hood of the liberation; but in the best stinterests
of the distinguished patient the surgeons did
not feel inclined to recommend the procedure.
Even by such means there could be no guaran-
tee: in view of the extensive surrounding in
filtration, that the limits Of the disease would
be reached without immediate risk to the life
by severe shock to the constitution already
much enfeebled. His vital power is so low
that for the present, at least, no kind
of operation will be undertaken. The
liberation on the side of the tongue has not
intolerable pain reported with that condition;
but should the latter symptoms appear it may
be advised to divide the gustatory nerve The
general tone of the patients system remains
about the same as at last1eports, notwithstand-
ing he has suffered much from insomnia The
latter, within the last day or two, has been kept
under control by suitable anodynes. There i'd
no pain in swallowing, and sufficient food is
taken with reasonable relish.
PHILADELPHIA CONTRIBUTION
The Philadelphia Medical News this week
will say editorially, concerning the disease
from which Gen. Grant is suffering:
Lingual apithelioma, rs rule, rapidly pro-
crosses toward fatal termination when left to
itself The life of the patient, from the first
appearance of the disease, varies in accordance
with the estimates of different observers from
five to thirteen months, the average being sew
en- months. Death ensues first from generall-
zation OF the disease; secondly from the in
halation of putrid en0anations, which result
from decomposition Of the products of the ul-
cerated surface; third, from starvation through
the pressure of infltrated lymphatc glands
and surrounding parts upon the esophagus,
there thereby Interfering f with deglutition; and
from liberated lingual arteries or
vessels of the neck. The duration of the life
of those who survive an operation averages
nineteen months. Not only does operative in
terference prolong life and relieve suffering,
but it effects cure in IA per cent of all cases.
In obtaining these results it must be remem-
bered that the inclsion of the tongue is attend
ed with mortality of % per cent, the prin-
cipal dangers being the shock, hemorrhage,
picatumone. or erysipelas- some of which risks
can be avoided by taking careful precautions
during the operation and by perfecting antisep-
tic measures during and after the procedure
When in addition to disease of the tongue it.
self, tho palate and tonsiis are involved, and
prognosis is far more grave-whether the dis
ease shall be permitted to pursue an unaided
course or whether it shall be subjected to the
knife In the latter event not only will the
tongue have to be extirpated, but disease Of
the palate and tonsils have to be reached. So
far as we can learn there is no example Of the
performance of double operation on record,
anditls, in our opinion, not justifable.