The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-03-05
GEN. GRANT.
Els Disease Ineur@bie-Ths Physieisa Says Theirs
is Little Hope.

chairs In his library on the second floor Of mis-
residence at East Sixty -sixth street He WAS
dressed. and wore his dressing gown. He
seemed to be in good spirits. Mrs Grant, Col
Fred Grant. and Jesse z. Grant were in tia
room with him. There was little to indicate
that he was suffering from disease which The
doctors say must end his life inside Of SIX
months. There was swelling and hard
lump the side OF his face below the right
ear. His beard vas gray. and his hands were
thinner than when he was last seen on thu
street. DR.. J. II. Douglass visited him at 10I5
O'Clock and dressed his throat The General
soon afterward went to bed
Last June, while living in his cottage at Long
Branch, Gen. Grant WAS very much troubled By
his throat. He consulted DIR. De Costa Of Phil
adelphia, who was stopping there. and was
warned that the trouble might be serious and
that he had better see his family physician.
The trouble abated. and Gen. Grant thought
no more about il until it broke out with "a
Hewed violence la October. He consulted with
DR.. Fordyce Barker, who at once detected
symptoms of caneerous growth and directed
him 10 a specialist in throat diseases. Dr. J. IL,
Douglass. of As East Twenty ia street. DR..
Douglass advised him to stop smoking grad
uall!, but he soon ceased 1t altogether. and felt
much better for it. Lis hip. which had been
injured by bis fab on Dee -. IsS3 mad im-
proved SO much that be able to take long
walks 10 December he took cold during one
r.
lie was then almost unable to speak, and he
ate with great difficulty. The root of the
tongue was hardened. and there were thick
patches on the soft palate, accompanied by q
slight liberation. lie had considerable pain
which was relieved by app icltiun of murats
Of cocaine and iOdolorm- He became much
better and got along well until recent relapse.
DIR. Douglass has recently bad entire charge
of the case, DR.. Baker making not more than
two or three calls a week. All along through
his illness Gen. Grant has worked his mill
tary history and on his war reuini-cenre, for
the Century. During the day he flannel
hood to protect his head frOui draHghts. which
gave him pain. He had a routine way of pass
ing his time before his Terent relapse. He
arose about 8 o'clock and read the morning
newspapers. He breakfasted at $50 aud then,
accom- panied by his cOiOT-d servant, drove
down town to Dr. Douglasss utiice He seemed
to enjoy this trip for the exercise il gave him.
although DIR. Douglass warned him that 1t waE
inprudcrt to venture out ia very cold weather.
When he returned to his house. about Ii:a0, rs
would 60 to work on his h0o&, Of which the
second volume Is nearly completed. lie WTots
It out himself. referring occasionally TO Gen,
Badeau for dates aud other miButise. Col. Fred
Grant wrote out copy Of his fathers manu-
script. Lunch was eaten at l:39. aud the writ
ing was continued until $50. Then the Cen
eral would 20 out tor drive with Mrs. Grant,
passed in social recreation, playing whist, OF
entertaining friends.
The family knew Of the serious nature Of tbs
disease, but always maintained their cheerful
ness IN the presence Of the sufferer. The Gen
erai, although III considerable pain. bgss I'd bim-
self on his book on Monday and Tuesday last,
Even on Friday he revised part Of it when 10
was read aloud to him. lie was last out Of
the house on Feb. IS.
great many friends called sc the house
yesterday to express sympathy, but few are
allowed to see him DR.. Douglass now calls
twice day. He finds the cocaine very eflica-
cious IN relieving the pain. DR.. Douglass was
asked yesterday afternoon to describe the eoa-
dition OF bis patient. He said:
Gen. Grant is a very sick man, but he is
doing very well considering his condition. He
came TO me first on Oct. - Last, and asked ma
to examine his throat. i did So, aud saw 80
that he suffering from cancer.
did not wish TO frighten him By telling him
this so l said he had an epithelial trouble. He
asked me if it was not a cancer. and told hiIa
the disease vas OF a cancer0as character In
mild form.
1t probably arose from excessive smoking,
combined with other causes. lie had been suf-
!ering from it since June / at once told his
family of the nature of the disease. and they
know how serious the case Is. L think the Cen
eTal also knows it now.
8 He was in the habit of coming down to see
me pretty much every morning The cancer
continued to grow worse. although its growth
has not been steady. The hardened part of the
cancer is at the root of the tongue on the right
side The liberation is in the soft palate just
above where the tousils lie He stopped smOk-
ing on Nov. 20. and he did not seem to mind
the deprivation of tobacco. at one time he
had severe pain in the left ear, and that was
checked by removing a bad tooth. The dtGtlss
found that several other teeth were III bad
condition and advised their removal, which
was accomplished. The loss of these teeth has
prevented Gen. Grant from chewing solid food.
lie eats minced meat, terrapin, aud other soft
food, aud has no difficulty In swallowing it.
Indeed he swallows more readily than be did
two months ago. This is probably due to the
fact that the liberation has relaxed some OF the
membranes lie takes a good deA OF uOuriSh-
ment, although he does not want 10 eat, a. tina
effect Of the disease IS to destroy all appetite.
The bad weather of late has affected him IN
fagorabIy He caught slight cod.
The cancer Is what Is called benign cancer,
and If it were anywhere else on the body we
could az least hold it in allegiance IA it IS, an
operation would accomplish no good. 1t would
be quite impossible to cut II cut from the root
of the tongue.
Within the past 10 days there has been
great change for the worse The mind has
great influence on such diseases. and believe
that distress of mind caused by the failure OF
the relief bill in Congress injured the General
very much. Two weeks ago he vas feeling
much better. Then came the defeat Of the bill,
and he seemed to lose heart.
ION Feb. Is ! found that the liberation had
extended very rapidly, and that there was
perforation of the folds of the membranes
which constitute the anterior border OF the
consular cavity The liberation had burrowed
down until it came oct near the root OF tia
tongue. / consulted with DR.. Fordyce Barker,
and by his advice We had q CONSULTATION ca
Feb 10 at Gen. Grants house. DIR. b. b. Sands
and DR.. T. NJ MarkOe We're present. They
agreed that IL was q cancer. DIR. Elliott at Ons
time made a mlerOSCOpical examination, and
said he felt deep regret in submitting so I'M
favorable report. He said the disease bore
relation TO malignant ePithelial cancer.
"OB Feb. % medical journal published
report describing Gen. Grant AS being in good
condition The family thought this was re-
port from the consultation. and were in a high
state of exultatiOn. l told them that i knew
nothing about the published report The can
Ger does not hurt the General unless Il IS Tudely
touched. Ifhe talks very long he gets iatigued,
aud then its hurts him.
ION Wednesday last ne was quite cheerful,
and worked most of the day at his book. That
right ear Hot hanuels applied 10 the head
stopped the pain, but he dad not sleep until
morning. Thursday night was another Tad
night. although he did not suffer such severe
pain. On Friday night he had no pain, and
slept brokenly.
alt is impossible to give him spirits a slim
uIant. rs it Injuries bis throat. His body and
hands are greatly emaciated. and he 10 losing
Hach doll 10