The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-03-12
Slowly Dying.
CANCER EATING AWAY THE LIFE OF
GENERAL GRANT.

|
A dispatch from New York dated the
2Sth, says
! For some time past intimate personal
friends of General Grant have been aware
| that the cancerous affection with which
the General had been afflicted for some
months was rapidly developing, with a
very dangerous tendency The true state
OF the disease and his unfayorable condi-
/ ton were, however. kept secret from the
general public. Now and then the New
York papers would publish rather alarm
ing reports of his condition, but they were
denied by the family and attending physi-
ficians. Only week ago to-day report
twas published in medical journal of this
city that there was every reason to believe
he would recover from his present Illness,
and that the cancerous growth at the root
of bis tongue had been arrested To-day,
however, the true condition Of the G eneral
was made public by his family for the first
time. 1t unfortunately proves that there
was little or no foundation for the recent
favorable reports circulated, and that the
| General, far from being on the road to re-
covery, is rapidly approaching the end
His family and the attending physicians
generly admitted to-day that there is little
Or no hope that he will recover. The Gen
erals residence, at No. East Sixty -Sixth
street, was everrun with visitors to-day
anxious to learn the truth as to his condi-
tion, as it was reported in business circles
this morning that his disease had taken
fatal turn.
He was confined to his bed to-day, and
few Of his most intimate friends were
admitted to see him. Some of them, on
leaving the sick chamber, sadly expressed
the opinion that the General was on his
deathbed. In regard to the condition of
the General, Colonel Frederick Grant said
this afternoon: My father is very sick
man. There is no use in longer denying
the fact. We have5made every effort to
keep the true facts from the public, be-
cause we. knew. that as soon as it should
become known that he was dangerouslyill
there would be hundreds of letters coming
in with every mail, and this would only
excite him and make his cure less hopeful.
My father has had little rest for the past
few nights. He was up and about his
room for a.little while yesterday, and we
hope to get him up again to-day, but he is
suffering constant pain in the ear and
head. For any8sfacts concerning the
nature of ibis disease, will have to refer
you toshisssphysicians. am overburdened
with work and care. l have had little
sleep fora numberEo as l have to
be up with my father and.3have to look
over and answer his mail. The doctors
who aresattending him are Dr. Fordyce
Barker, DR.. j. FL. Douglas and Dr. H. B.
Sands, of this city, and DR.. I. NJ
Marker of Philadelphia.
DR.. Douglas, being questioned, said Il
am in no wise responsible for the rose-col- I
orded report that appeared in a medical
journal last week. Two days before this
report was published had a conversation
with DR.. Sands at General Grants house.
The result Of that conversation was that
we both decided that the cancerouS growth
at the root of the tongue was hardening
and steadily growing worse. A micro
scopical examination made by an expert
proved beyond doubt that it was a case of
malignant epithelial growth. General
Grant is very sick man, and think there
is little or no hope that he will recover.
He is breaking down, but has displayed
much courage. Less than month from
this date he has done as much as six or
eight hours work in day, but has had
little sleep for the past six OF eight days
We have tried to keep the knowledge Of
his true condition from the General. be-
cause he has had so many other troubles TO
bear. have all along maintained that his
trouble is from a generous growth at the
root of the tongue. It was caused I'M
doubtedly by excess in smoking. Every
time he speaks or breathes OF eats this is
disturbed. 1t is difficult to treat it for
that reason. There have been times when
this growth has been temporarily checked.
but it has never been arrested and is stead
lily increasing. There has been a consid-
cradle Joss Of tissue of the softpalate. He
takes nourishment every day in a liquid
form. He cannot eat solid food, because
he has lost all his teeth. They were ex-
tracted in the hope Of easing the pain III
his face. This pain, although it resembles
neuralgia, is not that pure and simple, but
it is reflection pain, caused by the cancer
in the throat. He has been suffering of
late from severe pain in the right ear and
on the top of the head. To ease this his
head is kept wrapped in hot hannels. 1
cannot say how near the end is. He may
live for months yet, as men suffering from
this disease have done, but do not think
there is any hope that he will ever re-
cover