The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-06-01
VERY ILL.
| Almost at Deaths Door, But Still Bathing
Brave1y.

at Deaths Door, But Still Bathing
Bravely.
Early last week the kilograms %nnounce
the serious illness OF General Phil Sheridan
who had just returned from an extenaed
western trip, having been several nights on
the cars. A day later the seriousness OF the
attack was contradicted and his Gonzales
cence asserted, but by Friday it appeared
there was really occasion for alarm, the
trouble being imperfect v~alvulsr action OF
the heart. Succeeding dispatches relate the
details.
WASHINGTON, May 25.-General Sheridan
is a very sick man, aud his physicians are in
constant attendance upon him. His trouble
is vascular affection of the heart, and he has
had several alarming sinking spells, from
which be rallied with difficulty, the last one
being the most severe of all. The failure OF
the hearts action has brought him near to
deaths door several times, and the fear is
That a recurrence of the trouble may take
him away suddenly q: any moment.
WASHINGTON, May 26.-General Sheri,
dams condition is extremely criticalto night,
and his death at any moment will not be
unexpected. he had a recurrence of heart
trouble about 5 O'Clock this afternoon, &C.
companied by a serious sinking spell, which
gave great alarm to the physicians, who i'm
mediately took prompt and powerful meas
ures to remedy them. These measures only
gave partial relief and at 1880 to night the
four physicians who have been in attendance
are at his side closely and anxiously await
ing every symptom. The action If the heart
is still very feeble, and has responded but
imperfectly to the remedies administered.
Everything possible was done for the pa
tient, but with only imperfect success. Dig
tails and whiskey were administered and
finally a blister was put over the heart.
These applications stimulated the heart to
increased action, though not to the extent it
was desired. The blister was not intended
so much to counterfeit the present attack as
to prevent q subsequent me-. The nature of
the disease precludes the possibility of the
patient lying in bed and he is forced to get
what sleep he does sitting in a chair.
WASHINGTON, May 27.-Mrs. Sheridan,
the Generals mother, will not come to
Washington, as has been stated. She is very
old, in feeble health, and it is thought would
be unable to stand the journey here. The
Generals strength kept up remarkably we'll
and he was able to walk across the floor
without assistance and to move from his
bed to an easy chair with little apparent
effort. He took considerable n%ourishmeDt,
mostly peptonized milk, though q dish of
chicken broth was also given him in the
afternoon. The trouble with which General
Sheridan is afflicted is due to a chronic i'm
perfect closure of the valves of the heart,
thus allowing the blood which has been dis
charged from that organ to be forced back,
thereby imposing additional burdens upon
it. The immediate danger lies in the fact
that in one of his weak or fainting spells the
heart refuses to act, and this spell is always
to be a%pprehended. 1t is on this account
that the presence of the physician is con
stantly needed in order that some powerful
heart stimulant may be Immediately admin
istered to lead the patient over anv attack
which may occur. 1t is said that General
Sheridan has been troubled with this affec-
ton of the heart for at least three or four
years, and that he must have known of it
for one or two years. 1t is further said to
be q disease with which many men who are
actively engaged in business and have clear
heads and apparently good health are af-
flicted. They may live q long time, and 60
about their ordinary avocations, while in
other cases the disease quickly runs its
course and causes the death of the person
troubled with it. In nine cases out of ten
it is said to be caused by acute rheumatism,
and it is not at all improbable that General
Sheridan may have contracted this heart
disease in exposures incident to his military
duties.
Bulletin-10 p. m. General Sheridan is
not so strong or we'll this evening as he was
early in the day. There has been no recur-
renee of the heart trouble, but the efforts of
the physicians to rally him from the attack
of yesterday evening proved unsvailing. At
this time (8:15 p. n.y. the doctors are even
less hopeful than before.
Bulletin-10:30 p. IN. All hope has been
abandoned, and it is not believed that Cen
eral Sheridan can live another twenty-four
hours.
Bulletin--midnight. To an inquiry made
at 1880 p. M. as to General Sheridan's con-
dition the answer returned was: "He is how
ering between life and DEATH"
One of the physicians in attendance said
this evening: General Sheridan has great
vital powers, but l do not think think he
will be alive thirty hours from now, and
certainly not in two days unless there is a
great change. He has no pain and l think
he will sink away easily. A recurrence of
the heart trouble may come, the heart will
cease to beat, and all will be at an end
At the Generals house all is quiet and con-
versation is carried on in subdued whispers,
SO as not TO disturb him should he be able
to sleep. There was a steady stream of
callers at the residence during the day, and
many kilograms were received asking for in
formation as to his condition. The callers
include many persons well known in Wash
ington life, and a considerable number of
them were ladies. The President sent q
basket of flowers and q note of sympathy to
Mrs. Sheridan. He asked to be informed of |
the Generals condition, and expressed the
sincere hope that his life would be spared. |
General Sheridan has always been a great
~favorite with the President, who admires
his frank, open manner of expressing his
opinion upon. current topics and his pecu-
liarly pleasing way of emphasizing his state
ments by little anecdotes. The General
appeared to gradually grow weaker as night