Connecticut western news., 1888-04-18
ROSCOE CONKLING'S ILLNESS.
The Ex-Senator's Skull Operated On
 to Savc His Life.

NEW YORK, April 1O-Roscoe Conkling was 30 near death yesterday in his room in the Hoffman House that his doctors would hardly say that he had chance of life. Hope was 8 little stroL ger last night after very success full operation had been performed to relieve Nis brain from the pressure upon 1t caused by ae abscess in his left ear. But for this op- <ration Mir. Conkling would have died, in all human probability, before midnight last night. As it is, Dr. Fordyce Barker said, late in the evening, that the patient has chance of pulling through.
 The abscess is the sequel of severe cold that MT. Conkling caught on Blizzard Mon- day" March 12 On the afternoon of that day he struggled through the storm from his office in the United Bank Building to the New York Club House in 18th street, and was nearly frozen to death.
 MT. Conkling did not pay much attention to the cold which followed this exposure. In a few days, however, he began to complain of pains in his head, and at the Stewart will case hearing he declared that he was all out of sorts. The pains increased, and Mir. Conkling told the managing clerk in his office, MT. Mel vile, that he had big boil coming in his left ear. On March 30 he took to his bed, and called in Dr. Barker. Dr. Barker pronounc- ed the ''boir' a dangerous abcess, and inn posed absolute rest and quiet upon Mir. ConF- ling.
 The abcess was seated deep in the ear. It increased, and MT. Conkling became delirious with pain. Last Thursday Dr. Barker sum- moned Dr. Cornelius R. Agnew in consultation. Mr. Conkling steadily grew worse, and his wife was summoned from Utica. On Sunday night she had short interview with her hus- band, which excited the Senator somewhat, and at 9 D. m. the doctors found his pulse high and his temperature risen. Shortly afterward he passed into kind of stupor, with intervals | of delirium.
 Dr. Barker called in to consult with Dr. Az new and himself, Dr. Henry R. Sands and pr. Francis Delafield. They agreed with Dr. Bar | ker that the Senator was suffering from inf1am- nation of the brain, due to the collection oi | pus, propably back of the ear, and that this pus must be removed immediately. The only ! operation possible was the delicate one oi opening the skull and drawing off the pus The patient was highly delirious when the | time for the operation came, and 1t took Dr. | Barker half an hour to induce him to lie down on the mattress on the operating table. Dr. Delafield then put the ether cone over the Sen. ators face and the patient was soon asleep and | dull to all pain.
 Dr. Sands turned Senator Conkling's head | over upon its right side and cut lateral ln- | cision in the scalp two inches behind the left | ear. The incision was about three inches long | The scalp parted, and the student attendants | dried the slight hemorrhage that there was and stood ready with their appliances to stay $ | possible hemorrhage of the lateral sinus | There was, however, no call for their services | in this regard.
 The skull lay exposed. Deftly and quickly | Dr. Sands ran the edge of a little steel chise under the squamous portion of the tempora l bone-the scale-like plate of the tempora l bone back of the ear. Dr. Sands gave three ol
 four smart raps with a mallet upon his chiss
 and raised the bony plate. As he did so tht pus gushed out.
 | The diagnosis of Dr. Barker was confirmed
 A pocket of pus had formed back of the ca
 ard was pressing upon the brain. Dr. Sand
 held the plate raised for little while and le
 as much pus ooZe out as would. About al
 ounce thus came out Then Dr. Sands let tn
 plate back. No draining tubes were inserted
 in the skull, as it would be dangerous, o
 course, to keep the bony plate raised.
 The doctors were delighted at the result o
 the operation. The pressure of the pus upo
 the brain was removed, in great degree, 8 | least. While no one could say whether nor
 pus would collect or not, the operation ha
 been primarily successful. and measure O
 relief at least, had been afforded. The actua
 operation took only fifteen minutes. Senate | Conkling recovered nicely from the effect 0
 the ether, but went back to his old condition c
 alternate delirium and insensibility.
 April 1.-The sixth day of careful watchin:
 tender nursing, and intense anxiety of tn
 family surrounding Roscoe Conkling's bedsd | dawned this morning, with still more favora be symptoms for their patient. It was report ed at the door of the Hoffman House Annex | in which Mir. Conklings apartments are To cated, that he had passed the most comfort able night since his condition took so critical change on Monday last. He slept good DOT ton of the time. and the only medicine give him at all of guetinS nature, occs sional small dose of bromide potassium. A noon the patient was resting quietly, but d unfayorable turn took place later. from which | however, Mir. COnkling rallied satisfactorily