St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-06
CONDITION OF GEN. GRANT,
AS Given By the Medical Record-Description
of tho lispasp

of the Disease.
New YORK, March 5.-The Medical Record,
heretofore quoted in these dispatches in con-
nection with accounts of the condition of
Gen. Grant, will Saturday contain the fol-
lowing article:
SIN view of the recent developments in
Gen. Grants condition, the Records bulletin
two weeks ago, so largely quoted by the press
of the country, requires some explanation. 1t
is fair to state the facts at the time presented by
the Medical Record were founded on the best
of authority, that of DR.. Fordyce Barker, the
attending physician of Gen. Grant, and this
explanation is manifest in the following
note:
No "a East Thirty-aght street-Dear Doctor
Shrady: The statement which made you was
literally true at the time l made it, and am GER
tain DR.. Douglas would have then made pre-
cisely the same. l saw DR.. Douglas this even
ing, and he then said that what l had told YOU
was exactly what he should have said at the
time. But the Monday after saw you, the ac-
ton of congress had most depressing effect on
Gen. Grant. His vital powers suddenly broke
down, and the local malady speedily assumed a
new aspect. Newspaper accounts have been
greatly exaggerated, and we have never antci-
pated any such speedy termination as they have
indicated. / do rot believe DR.. Douglas ever used
the word cancer in connection with the case
We have always spoken of it as cphithelioma, of
o malignant type, probably. 1t was greatly i'm
proved for time by local treatment of Dr.
Douglas, and the local condition was manifestly
improving until the moral shock broke down his
general system. Ever faithfully,
fSigned FoRDYcE BARKER
1t is a matter of deep regret that the grave
suspicious entertained of the serious nature
of Gen. Grants disease are confirmed by
diagnosis of ephitheloma of the tongue and
fauces. This disease, the name of which is
now perhaps heard of by the general public
for the first time, assumes importance as to
the study which it could never otherwise OBJ
tain. Consequently the daily papers, edu-
eating the people with regard to it, so terms
ephithelioma, malignancy and inflteration
will be as well understood as in former times
were those of supperration, pus track and
bullet cysts. AS might have been antici-
pated under the circunstaIices, the pub
lished reports of the generals condition is
very much exaggerated. The disease is
by no means as extensive as generally
believed. In fact, the ucerations, small in
extent, are limited to the right pillars of the
fauces, the anterior one being perforated at
its base. Adjoining the right side the root of
the tongue is indurated to slight extent, as
is also the neighboring gland under the
angle Of the jaw on the right side Of the
neck. The roof of the mouth along the line
of the hard palate and to the right of the
medium line contains three small warty-like
excrescences which show tendency toward a
cell proliferation. The epiglottis is free from
any abnormality, as is the case Of all other
parts of the throat. Although induration of
the tongue has existed more or less since
last fall, when the patient was first seen by
Dr. Douglas, and ulceratons have
appeared quite recently. 1t was
during their progress that the general suf-
fered from pain in the right ear, which has
now been entirely relieved by local ap-
plication of per cent. solution Of coco
aine. Under the same treatment all pain In
the deglutition is now entirely controlled
and the patient kept in a very comfortable
state. The pulse, which is usually go per
minute, occasionally reaches 80 beats.
Bodily TEN perature normal appetite fair,
which is saying everything in its favor as
the general Is not hearty eater. His bodily
condition is, however, much below par and
is more to be considered at present than the
local disease. The treatment OF the case has
been judiciously conservative from the start.