St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-27
Gen. Sheridian'S Condition SO
Critical That He Can
Scarcely Survive.
No Great Change for the
Worse, But His Death is
Expected.
Congressman Rice Is ILL.,
Patching Up the Mills
Bill.
a War Ship Ordered to Port
au Prinee--Capital
Cuttings.

WASHINGTON, May 26.-General Sher
idan's condition is extremely critical to-
night, and his death at any moment
would not be unexpected. He had re-
currence of the heart trouble about
o'clock this afternoon, accompanied by
a serious sinking spell, which gave
great alarm to his physicians, who i'm
mediately took prompt and powerful
measures to rally him. These rene
dies have only given partial relief,
and at 10:30 o'clock tonight the
four physicians who have been in at
tendance are at his side closely and
anXiously watching every symptom. The
action of the heart is still very feeble
and has responded but imperfectly to
the remedies administered to him. The
attack came almost without premoni-
ton, slight feeling of faintness being
the only thing which warned
might be at hand. Up to
about ESQ the general had been doing
very well and the family were in cheer
full spirits at the strength and interest
in passing events shown by the sick
man. No symptoms of a recurrence of
the failure of the valves of the heart to
properly close had appeared and as the
attacks of the day previous had occurred
in the morning it was hoped that he
would quickly rally and become better
able to meet any future dangers. AS
soon as it became evident, however,
that valvular failure of the heart had
again set in, they saw that their cher
ished hopes of a successful rally
WOULD MOO BE REALIZED.
Everything possible was done for the
patient, but with only imperfect sue
cess. Digitalis and whisky were ad-
ministered and finally blister was put
over the heart. These applications
stimulated the heart to an increased ac-
ton, though not to the extent
that was desired. The blister was
not intended so much to counter
act the present attack as to prevent
subsequent one. The generals return
to nearly the normal condition
in which he has been since his i'll
ness was slower than from any of the
previous attacks, and the doctor said of
the attack, 1T was pretty severe"
At s o'clock he had recovered some
what from his attack, and was getting
on comparatively comfortably. He
was still an object of earnest solici-
tude. however, and the doctors
did not leave his side. Mrs.
Sheridan also remained constantly
near. The attack was unacom-
panied by pain, and he was conscious
and thoroughly aware of the gravity of
the situation. A bulletin stating his
condition was to have been given to
the press at $50 o'clock, but owing
to the extremely critical con-
dition Of the general it was
few minutes after that hour one of his
aides stepped out of the house upon the
pOrtico and gave to the newspaper men
who gathered around him the official
statement of the physicians. 1t reads:
10 p. m.-Gen. Sheridan passed
comfortable day, took plenty of nour-
ishment, spoke cheerfully and hope
fully, and generally did we'll until 4:5O
o'clock this afternoon, when the
action of the heart became very
feeble, from which condition it has
reacted imperfectly at this time.
He is suffering neither pain nor distress.
He thoroughly understands, as he and
all his family have done from the be-
ginning, the gravity of the situation,
but is now and has been, very tranquil,
undiSmayed and hopeful for the best.
Il. NJ. O'RELLY.
CHAS. B. BYRNE.
ii. G. YARROw.
Washington, May 26.
Mrs. Sheridan says that his improved
condition during the day was evident.
He was bright and cheerful and read
the papers, laughing whenever he
found anything that pleased him.
When he found some statements,
however, that he was very
i'll. he was not pleased, and was not
hn nal- nd inn 01yito In
The family endeavored to keep some of
the more alarming accounts from him;
but he at once noticed the absence
of the papers and called for them.
He enjoyed the presence of his
children in his room two or
three times during the afternoon, and
two or three intimate friends were al
lowed to see him. There was chronic
imperfect closure of the valves of the
been discharged from that organ to be
forced back again, thereby imposing
additional burden upon it. The imme-
diate danger lies in the fact that in one
of his weak or fainting spells the gen.
erals
HEART MAY FAIL TO ACT,
and this peril is always to be appre-
hended. 1t is on this account that the
presence of a physician is constantly
needed in order that some pow
erful heart stimulant may be i'm
mediately administed to tide the
patient over any attack which may
occur. 1t is said that Gen. Sheridan has
been troubled with this affection 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 said to be a dis
ease with which many men who are
actively engaged in business and
have clear heads and apparently
good health are afflicted. They
live long time and go about ordinary
aVocationS, while in other cases the dis
ease 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
Gen. Sheridan may have contracted this
heart trouble in the exposures incident
to his military service. 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 she would be unable
TO stand the journey here
The generals strength kept up re-
markably well, 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 nourishment, mostly pep
tonized milk, though dish of chicken
hpnf leo crfty Ia IL. e. =