Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-04-10
An Alarming g Changge| ge|
IN THE CONDITION OF Ex-sENAToF
 CONkLlNG.

A Perilous Operation Performed on the
 Distinguished Patient-Dr. Sands Ex.
 presses the Opinion That He Will Not
 Live Forty-eight Hours.
 NEW YORK, April 10.-Atan early hour this morning ex-Senator Roscoe Conkhng was lowering between life and death. He had undergone during the day, an operation as dangerous as it was inevitable, and his chance for life depended upon the uncertain results Yesterday morning his chief medical attend ant, the distinguished Dr. Fordyce Barker virtually despaired of his patient, whose con- dition during Sunday night had taken most serious turn for the worse.
 'sThere is not even probability of his re- covery," said Dr. Barker, sadly, in reply tc the query of reporter.
 The patient, with his devoted wife and daughter ever at his side, was delirious and at times unconscious. His mind went back in its wanderings to many years ago, and he murmured "reminiscences of the political arena in which he had borne so commanding @ part. His suffering was evidently great, and the physicians saw that an operation must be performed and the brain relieved from the fatal pressure of the abscess, or that death was imminently certain.
 At 2 o'clock in the afternoon consultation was held by Drs. Barker, Agnew, Sands and Delafield and the critical operation was de termined upon.
 Dr. Sands selected to perform the actual york; under the supervision of his fel- low surgeons, and with the assistance of some medical students who had been invited to be present. Ether was administered to the patient, who soon sank into a drowsy condi- hon. Dr. Sands made an incision back of the left ear, on what is called ''the squanuous portion of the temporal bone."
 After the iEcision chisel was inserted, and the back Of tho skull at the s'mascoid process'' was raised by the use of mallet This method is distinguished from trepanning The aperture thus made permitted about an ounce of pus to ooze out, the pus not being extracted, but simply permitted to flow. The operation occupied about forty-five minutes, and was considered successful so far as the immediate relief of the brain from pressure that would doubtless have brought about death within a very few hours. When the pus ceased to ooze the wound was dressed, and the patient gradually recovered from the effects of the ether. About an hour later he arose from bed and walked about the room apparently in half dazed condition. The ex senator, throughout his illness has always shown disposition to arise, his vigorous mind apparently rebelling against inactivity.
 At midnight MT. Conkling was still in a half dazed condition, and did not recognize Mir. Edward S. Stokes, who visited his apart nlents. He was delirious, but showed physi- cal strength which might or might not be a favorable indication. He insisted upon get ting up and walking about the room.
 Turning to Mir. Stokes, he said:
 ''Ed, it is no use I am gone! I have fought against this for some time. I can't stand it any longer"
 MT. Stokes, in going out, saw Dr. Sands at the door. He asked the doctor if MT. Conk- ling had any chance. Dr. Sands said:
 "He may live forty-eight hours, but l doubt it."
 The ex-senator's illness dates from the event'ul day of tho big blizzard, March 12. On that Monday evening he started to walk to the HoffInnn house from his Wall street office. He set out after o'clock and at a time whom the snow was drifting very deep in some places and when pedestrianism was well nigh impossible save to the very strongest and hardest He declined to submit to the extolticnate charges of the hackmen. Refer ring to his experience the next day, he said ''When I reached the New York club, at Twenty fifth street, I was covered all over with ice and packed snow, and they would scarcely believe that I had walked from Wall SCTo0u. lG lOCk Oufeo uOuIS UO luaAo CQS journey"
 Although he attended to business for sev eral dave after this trying adventure, his friends remarked that he did not appear al bright and alert as usual He complained o1 pains in his head and ear These pains be came acute and finally grew unbearable, and he summoned Dr. Agnew on Friday, Marcf 3O Dr. Agnew, after an examinationr de | cided that ali abscess had formed within tn. ear. Despite all means used to alleviate tn, l pain MT. Conkling rapidly grew worse ant on Thursday last he was delirious.
 Dr. Agnew called in Dr. Fordyce Barker but the combined skill of these two leading physicians was unable to stay the terrible disease The ex-senator improved slightly ol sufficiently, it is said, to convers with his anxious family and to afford hop of his recovery. On Sunday night, as abov' | stated, he became worse.
 In the Fifth Avenue hotel, the Hoffman house and all the various centers up town tn ex-senator's illness was the main topic of con versation, and the general expression was OH of earnest hope that the great statesman an, lawyer would be spared to the community. | John Roacll's Will.