The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-01
THE GENERAL FATALLY ILL.

His Disease Pronounced Cancer-An His Fam
lily at his Bedside Except Mrs. Sartoris.
Special TO the indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Feb. 2S-The physicians attend
ing General Grant say tonight, at 10 o'clock,
shat there is no hope for him, and that he is
steadily growing worse. The startling intelli
gence as to his apparent condition was wholly
unexpected, and most painful surprise. 1t is
true that at one time DR.. Fordyce Barker
dissented from the views of the other
physicians on whose diagnois the Generals con-
dition was based 1t now appears that Dr.
Barker's cautious statement was more than JUS
titled by the patients actual condition, and it is
now believed that the malady with which Gen
eral Grant is suffering cannot but have fatal
termination, and also that his dissolution may
take place within very short time-a few
months being the maxium period of mis-
life, with the chances that much
shorter time, possibly only day,
will end his earthly career. All the physicians
in attendance upon him concur in this view of
the case, and the Generals immediate family
have abandoned all hope of his recovery. His
wife and all his children, except Mrs. Sartoris.
who has been cabled for from Eng
land, are grouped around the bedside
Of the General and their deep sorrow,
which has been excited at the knowledge
that his condition bafsed medical SCIENCE is
Intensified by realization of the painful fact
that his suferings are of the most intense char
acter.
The terrible crash of the banking firm Of Grant
& Ward had very depressing effect upon the
General, and he has since only appeared at in
tervals. After he fractured his hip, on Christ
mas eve, 1885, what he believed to be a small
canker sore appeared at the base of his
tongue, and pulverized alum was resorted to to
kill it, but Inflammation set in, and
the General suffered SO greatly that he called on
his family physicians A careful examination
soon convinced them that cancer had formed
and was spreading its poison through his system.
They were baffled at every point, and finally
they admitted the cancer was deep rooted, and
that medical science is powerless to avert its in
evitable result.
Gen Grant presents pitiabe appearance at
present. His face and hands arc bandaged, his
eyes are sunken, and his face bears sallow hue,
while his hair and beard have whitened greatly.
He talks less than usual, is feverish and freful,
and works himself up to such pitch OF excite
ment that he is troubled with insomnia and is
losing all his energy. This is the worst
form of his disease, and it has brought
about loss of appetite. His doctors assert
that he is subsisting largely upon his vital It's
sues, and is growing perceptibly weaker hour by
hour week ago last Thursday an examina-
ton of the Generals throat was made by an
expert microscopic, and he foupd the condition
of the tongue, palate and tissues precisely as
diagnosed several weeks ago by Dr. Douglass.
1t is with great difficulty that the General
opens his mouth to admit food, and the exami
nation was conducted under circumstances that
were only overcome by throwing strong
light into his mouth. He suffers the
most excruciating torture from neuralgia,
also, but scarcely a murmur escapes
him. His only nourishment is chopped meat
and liquids. which he has no appetite for, and
eats only by force of will power, knowing that
he must keep up his strength.
On Wednesday nj ght he was seized with ter
rible shooting pains i'll his ears.
~ did not 60 up on Friday night said DR..
Douglass, to-day; 1.-THE General insisted that
3hould not come late, because it would tire me,
and there was nothing I could do. He bears
the most intense torture with tho greatest forti-
tude. / never saw anything like it in my life /"
docs the General know that ne must der
''Yes, he knows it; and yet he doesn't want to
know it. He may live three months, but cancer
of the throat is seldom cured If he dies before
that time it will be from lack of nourishment
His system will waste away, and he will die of
weakness and exhaustion"
'Ias the injury to mis- hip grown worse9" Dr.
Douglass was asked
"No. That has improved steadily of late, and
he can walk quite well without cane"
''Why were the Generals teeth removedp
because they were bad, and we felt that they
aggravated the throat trouble. Most of his food
is in LIQUID form, and once in awhile he takes a
little meat, cut up very fine"
Last night Colonel Fred Grant, the Generals
eldest son, sat UP with him all night because of
renewal of the neuralgia pains and great
suffering in his mouth accompanied by
weakness and exhaustion, until he finally got to
sleep. He kept his bed all day. and Dr. Doug
lass remained with him all the afternoon The
General spoke with great difficulty. He seemed
to realize his situation, and DR.. Douglass says
he is prepared for the end.
The fund of $25O000 raised for
Gen Grants support few years
ago is invested in Wabash railroad
preferred bonds, the trustees having
80 placed it at the suggestion Of Jay Gould
and the late Edwin ID. Morgan. The road is in
the hands of receiver, and the securities are
MT r,nr;nn diuidnndS which yynra infnnded 70