Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-06-11
GEN. GRANTS CASE.
His Baptism by the Rev. DIR. New
man

The following brief sketch of Gen.
Grants illness is from an authorize
tive source, and contains many de-
tails never before given to the pu Bile:
Early last autumn Gen. Grant was
visiting at the house of Mr.. George
w. Childs, at Long Branch, and with
his family and friends was sitting on
the piszza one bright afternoon In
the course of conversation the General
said: II ate peach the other day,
and ever since | have had a sore
throat Thereupon he laughed con~
sidsrably, and Mr.. Childs suggested
that ne should allow Dr.. Da Costa of
Philadelphia, who was visiting at the
house, 10 examine his threat. The
Doctor did so, and dec ded in his own
mind at that time that the case was
one of epithelioma. He at once add
vised the General to see his family
physician as sooR as he arrived in New
York.
"Who is your family physicianl"
asked Dr.. Da Costa.
Or. Fordyce Barker" answered
the General.
"Ahl l am glad to hear that; you
could not be in better hands, replied
the Doctor.
The Generals throat continued to
get sore, and troubled him not lit
tie. 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 DIR. j. II Douglas of
Twenty-sixth street.
AS far back as that time, each Of
these physicians, and Dr.. Barker also
agreed that the General had epithel-
oma, or cancer of the throat. After
ward they had doubt as to the dis
ease being epithelioma, and the Gen
eral was pat under special treatment
on or about the % of October.
During the months of November,
December, ard January there was no
appreciate change for the worse, ex-
cept that one day the General would
feel very well and the next day very
much depressed. About the middle
of February an alarming change was
noticed
Drs. Barker and Douglas. being un.
willing to shoulder the entire respon~
sibility OF such an important case, de
cided to call some one else Inc DR..
Barker had met in consultation few
days before, in another case, DIR.
Markoe; DR.. Douglas, in a similar
way, had met DR.. Sands; and it was
agreed to ask these two physicians to
come in.
On the 18th of February all four
physicians met at the residence of
Gen. Grant and looked at his throat
They all decided that the ease was
epithelioma.
The next consultation was held on
March s. DR.. George +. Shrady was
present. His opinion conceded with
that of others; but the physicians,
thinking there might be one chance
III thousand against their diagnosis,
again they placed General Grant
under specific treatment for another
disease.
In a few days the General grew
worse. Besides the large ulcer III the
throat mis- system generally became
very much depressed and wasted.
During the latter part OF March his
life hung by thread, and the whole
country awaited, with feelings of the
greatest apprehension. the news Of
each day. The doctors had now be-
come convinced that the disease was
cancer of the tongue solely, and that
all they could do was to ease the Gen
eral along until his inevitable death
At times the General became very
much alarmed, and gave up all hope.
On that eventful ,evening when he
was expected to die at any moment,
the forms of all the newspapers were
held in badness to issue a special ed
ition. There were in the house Drs.
Shrady and Douglas. The family
were 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 gath
cred around him, every member cry
ing. The General reclined in one
chair, with his pillow beAind him,
and rested his feet on another chair.
DIR. Shrady was sleeping in another
room. In rushed DR.. Douglas and
reused him with the words, "It's all
overm
my God!' said Shrady, do you
mean to say that the man is dead}'
mo. not dead, but he will be in
few minutes. Nothing can save
him"
DIR. Shrady jumped up and ran into
the room where the General was.
Mrs. Grant, weeping, reached out her
hand and said Ulysses, do you
know me9"
The Generals chin was resting upon
his breast. He slowly raised his head
and said: Yes
Dr. Newman exclaimed: 1T is all
over; l will baptize him" He went
quickly into another room, got sill
yer bowl, filed ii with water, came
back, dipped his hama into it, anc
said: II baptize thee, Ulysses Simp
son Grant. in the name of the Father
Son, and Holy Ghost. D
The General slowly raised his heaC
and remarked: Il thank you. Then
turning to his family, he raised ont
hand and uttered the words: Il bles
you all
n q, z. l,-cv--.I. ttnpa