Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-04-12
CoNKLING DYING.
But Few Hopes Of the Ex-New
York Senator Getting
Better.
His Brain InfIamed-He Becomes De-
liri0us = Visitors Excluded -
Surgeons Confer.
They Decide Upon Delicate Operation
How It Was Performed and Its
Effects.

hu6cISs
NEW YORK, April l0.-Roscoe onkling's
condition has changed much for the worse.
He was buoyed up for some time by the
presence Of his wife, whom he had not
| been permitted to see since his illness be-
came serious, but after her departure fell
into stupor. from which he aroused at
long intervals and then only to display
symptoms OF delirium.
DR.. Fordyce Barker said yesterday that
he feared Mr.. Conkling's auricular trouble
had caused an affection of the brain which
might prove fatal. "All care to say Just
now" he continued, sis that Mr.. Conkling
has had bad change within the last TWEEN
ty-four hours and is very poorly, indeed.
have called in DR.. Sands and DIR. Della
field, and they, in company with DR.. Ag-
new and myself, will visit the patient this
afternoon"
At two o'clock Drs. Delafield, Agnew and
Barker called at Mr.. Conkling's house. A
minute later Hamilton Fish called, but was
not admitted.
DR.. Barker. at the conclusion Of the con-
ference, said that the patients condition
was very unpromising; that he was suffer
ing from Inflammation OF the ear which
had extended to the membranes Of the
brain The probabilities were that he
would not recover, though there was pos
sibility that he might get well. His tenn
perature was 1031z and his pulse 100. He
did not think there would be any marked
change in his patients condition for per-
haps twelve hours.
There were no persons admitted to the
sick room but the nurses and Mrs. Conk-
ling and all callers at the house were de-
MED admission.
Drs. Delafield, Sands and Barker held q
consultation in the case OF Roscoe Conk-
ling between four and five o'clock yester-
day afternoon and it was decided to imme-
diately cut through the temporal bone to
ascertain whether there was pus lodged on
the brain. DIR. Sands was the operating
surgeon.
Drs. Fordyce, Barker and Sands called
at 900 and found the patient resting quiet
ly and his condition materially improved
Since the operation his temperature had
fallen to 102 and his pulse to g.
The operation was performed by making
an inclsion in the temporal bone. About
an ounce Of pus flowed out. The patient
was under the influence of ether, and he
rolled and tossed SO that 1t was only with
difficulty that the operation was performed.
DR.. Barker said that while the recovery
Of the patient was not assured, he stands a
much better chance than before. The
operation was very successful and no
danger was apprehended for at least twelve
hours.
After the operation Mr.. Conkling arose,
walked into an adjoining room and re-
turned. Besides the physicians Mrs.
Conkling and her married daughter were
with him constantly. Mr.. Conkling was
not able to recognize any one but his wife
during the day and would probably remain
unconscious all night because Of the
anasthetic which was administered.
Drs. Barker and Sands left the sick
chamber at 9 AS and will not return until
nine a. IN. to-day.
The surgical operation performed upon
the distinguished patient last evening is a
very delicate one. It consists in the cut
ting out and removal of part of the squam-
Gus portion of the temporal bone, the incis-
ion being made upon the prominence which
may be felt just behind the ear. Beneath
this lies the mechanism of the ear and, In
cases in which the mechanism becomes IN
volved in serious suppuration, as in this
instance, it becomes necessary to make an
opening through which the pus may be
drawn of. Otherwise the Inflammation
will extend to the tissue Of the brain.
suits. The saw or drill with which
the circular piece Of sponge bone
is exclsed is like a jagged edge on the end
of piece Of small steel tubing. It is fixed
for the first few turns by prong in the
center. The whole instrument is called a
trephine. When the region of the inner ear
has been reached, the circular disk of bone
carefully extracted and the membrane be-
meath the bone cut through, a drainage
tube Is then inserted through which the
matter forming in the abscess can flow
freely into antiseptic absorbent cotton at
the outer end. This affords the best chance
Of combining the Inflammation to it's narrow
est limits.
At eleven p. N. Mr.. Conkling was resting
quietly and his temperature aud pulse were
the same as at the last report. At mid
night, however, he was walking up and
down his room in half delirious condition.
He sent for Mr.. Stokes and when he ar
rived said to him: ED, it is no use; am
gone. I have fought against this for some
time; can't stand it any longer"
Mr.. Stokes In going out saw DIR. Sands at
the door. He asked the doctor if Mr.. Conk-
ling had any chance. DR.. Sands said:
it"
LATER DISPATCH.
NEW YORK, April 10.-At IL: 25 the con-
dition Of Mr.. Conkling was considered to
be very critical But his fine robust
phi ysique max es it possible for HIM to fight
on the disease.
At 11:30 Colonel Frederick A. Conkling,
brother of the Senator, came out Of tho
house. He was almost too much affected
to speak, and in answer to a question as to
his brothers. condition, he said: every
low, very low" When asked if there was
ANY hope OF his recovery, he replied: 81
fear not. 1 fesIr not"
The outlook at noon was very bad for the
Senator, but predictions can not be safely
made.
At noon it was stated that Mr.. Coukling
had frequently arisen from his bed and
paced the roonI in a state OF deliricm until
SO exhausted that he was compelled to re-
turn to his cou CHI. During these periodical
attacks Mrs c ;onkling remains in the room