Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-06-04
GEN. GRANTS CASE.

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family and friends was sitting on the
piazza one bright afternoon. In the
course Of conversation the General
said: II ate peach the other day, and
ever since l have had a sore throat. -"
Thereupon he laughed considerably,
and Mr.. Childs suggested that he should
allow Dr. Da Costa, of Philadelphia,
who also was visiting at the house, to
examine his throat. The Doctor did
so, and decided in his own mind at
that time that the case was one of epi-
thelioma. He at once advised the Gen
eral to see his family physician as soon
as he arrived in New York.
"Who is your family physician?"
asked DR.. Da Costa,
"Dr. Fordyce Barker" answered the
General
"Ah! l am glad 10 hear that; you
could not be in better hands" replied
the Doctor.
The Generals throat continued to
get sore, and troubled him not little
When he came TO New York he called
upon DIR. Barker and asked him to
look at it, which the Doctor did, and
after prescribing for him, asked him to
call upon DR.. J. H. Douglas, of Twen-
ty-sixth street.
As far back as that time, each of
these physicians, and Dr. Barker as
well, agreed that the General had epi-
theliona, or cancer of the throat.
Afterward they had a doubt as TO the
disease being epithelioma, and the
General was put under special treat
ment on or about the esd of October.
During the months of November.
December and January there was no
appreciable change for the worse. ex-
cept that one day the General would
feel very we'll and the next day very
much depressed. About the middle of
February an alarming change was no.
ticed.
Drs. Barker and Douglas, being un-
willing to shoulder the entire response
bility on such an important case. de-
cided to call some one else in. DR..
Barker had met in consultation a few
days before. in another case. DIR.
Markoe: DIR. Douglas. in similar way.
had met DR.. Sands; and it was agreed
to ask these two physicians TO come
in.
On the 10th of February all four
physicians met at the residence of Gen.
Grant and looked at his throat. They
all decided that the case was epithe-
Iona.
The next consultation was held on
March Sth. Dr. George F. Shrady
was present. His opinion coineided
with that OF the others; but the ply
sicians, thinking that there might be
one chance in a thousand against their
diagnosis, again placed Gen. Grant
under specific treatment for another
disease
In a few days the General grew
much worse. Besides the large ulcer
in the throat his system generally be-
came very much depressed and wasted.
During the latter part Of March his
life hung by thread, and the whole
country awaited with feelings of ap-
prehension, the news of each day. The
doctors had now become convinced
that the disease was cancer of the
tongue solely, and that all they could
do was to ease the General along until
his inevitable death. At times the
General became very much alarmed,
and gave up all hope. On the event
full evening when he was expected to
die at any moment, the forms of all
the newspapers were held in readiness
to issue special edition. There were
in the house Drs. Shrady and Douglas.
The family was up all night. With
them were DIR. Newman and Gen.
Badeau. Gen. Grant was very low all
night, and in the early morning had
an alarming hemorrhage. The family
were gathered around him. every mem
Der crying. The General reclined in
one chair, with his pillow behind him
and rested his feet on another chair
Dr. Shrady was sleeping in another
room. In rushed DIR. Douglas and
aroused him with the words, Its all
overt!
''My Godr' said Shrady, "do YOU
mean to say that the man is dead?n
mo, not dead, but he will be in n
few minutes. Nothing can save him y
DIR. Shrady jumped up and ran into
the room where the General was
Mrs. Grant, weeping, held out her hand
and said: "Ulysses, do you know mep,
The Generals chin was resting upon
his breast. He slowly raised his head
and said, Yes"
Dr. Newman exclaimed: "It is all
over; | will baptise him!" He went
quickly into another room, got a silver
bowl, filled it with water, came back
dipped his hand into it, and said. 81