New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-10
MR.. CONKLING IN DANGER.
RELIEVED BY A CRITICAL OPERATION
THE PATIENT RESTS SOMEWHAT EASIER owfxa
TO THIS TEMPORARY REIIEP, But AT MID
NIGHT HE WAS WALKING THE

Ex-senator Roscoe Conkling is dangerously
Ill at his home in the Hoffman
| Annex, No. West Twenty -fourth-st.
His life hangs in the balance and his eminent
and skilful physicians are not able to hold out
any positive hopes OF his recovery. For nearly
week Mr.. Conliling has been suffering from
painful assesses forming in his left car which
brought about inflammation Of the membrane which
surrounds the brain. Yesterday his condition
became critical that operation per-
formed in the hope of saving his life. This gave
him temporary relief. and. at midnight he was
resting quietly.
Mr.. Conlxhng's serious illness results from
posure during the blizzard of March r. when
he made his way on that terrible evening from
his office in Wall-st to the New-YorlS Club in
Twenty y-fourth-st He was three hours in buffet
ing the tempest and arrived at the club greatly
! exhausted, notwithstanding his wel-known
wonderful physical Dowcrs. No bad effects fol-
| lowed. however. for some days. On March 30
he attended a hearing in room which was not
properly heated That night he comp aimed
of pai. in his head. This became SO severe
that DR.. Barker summoned lie found that the
pain was due to an abscess that had formed
! in the inner ear, which afterward led TO an in
fiammation of the adjacent membranes OF the brain.
Absolute rest and quiet were declared necessary,
and in accordance with these orders no one ex-
cept the physicians and the nurse were admitted
| to the sicll-room
NIX CONhLlNG'S FRIENDS ALARMED.
Mr.. Conlkling suffered intense pain in the left
side of his head, which steadily grew seri-
Gus, although he at first thought it small mat
ter, and his family physician, DIR. Fordyce Barker,
| was not at all alarmed. AS the Inflammation in
creased, however, Mr.. Conklng exhibited symp-
toms which gave much uneaSncss to his friends
On Friday and Saturday he mildly dciirous.
DR.. Cornelius K Agllcw, the Well-knOwn specialist
in diseases of the eye and ear, was called ill., and
Mrs Conking was sent for from Utica She
arrived Sunday. and when the physicians left
the ex-senator that afternoon they thought that
the CRISIS OF his disease had passed Ills tcmpera-
ture and pulse, which had been very hgn, be-
came almost normal and his condition was In
| every way improved
On Sunday night at 9:30 they were hastily
summoned and were shocked to lind that their
patient had become suddenly worse. His tenn
peraturc had risen to l03 35 and his pulse beat
at 20 TO the minute. lie continued 10 DE delirous
all night and insisted upon getting mp and walk
ing around his own and adjoining room. It
was with great difficulty that the patient was
kept in any degree of quetude. While he was
able at times to recognize Dr. Barker and Mrs
Conkling he was most of the time either un-
conscious iighty.
The alarming symptoms, which had been con-
tnuously on the increase, convinced the physicians
yesterday that nothing but an operation which
would relieve the brain of tue pressure Of pns
upon it could save the patients life DIR. Henry Is.
Sands and DR.. Francis Delafeld therefore
| called and consulted with DIS. Barker and Agnew
and DR. Anderton, DIR. Barkcr's assistant, who had
been in constant attendance at the house since
Mr. ConSing's became dangerous
1t was decided that the operation must be
performed, and preparations for u were made
! with great care. In the meantime Mr.. Conklings
daughter, Mrs Oakman arrived from Utica, and
with her came United States Judge Alfred C. Coke.
They went at once to the sick chamber and the
patient appeared TO recognize them both lhe
news of the ex-Senator's illness spread rapidly
through the city and many friends called to ex-
press their sympathy. but none were allowed 70
see him. As previously arranged, the physicians
named were all in attendance except DR. Agnew
ready for the delicate work before them Dr.
he was represented by his associate, Dr. David
| Webster.
DIR. BARKER DESCRIBES THE OPERATION.
At 5 o'clock the physicians already named
were all in attendance, except DR.. Agnew, who
had been taken sick during the ,ny. Bat DR..
David Webster came in his stead. The operation
was performed by DR.. Sands, and was regarded
by all as most slkilful one. DR.. Delaield adj
ministcred the ether, while Drs Webster Bar
ker and Anderton gave active aid. DR. Barker
In describing the operation last evening said:
We found it very dncut get patient quiet enough
to submit wishes He did not want to lie down.
and required united persuasion to prevail upon him
still When the anaeshetic had taken effect DR..
Sands made ncson an inch In length back OF the et
ear down the bone The wound was held open by re-
traction and the external table OF the bone gently and
suy chiseed through by the operator As soon as tho
instrument had penetrated the table quantity OF pus
mingled with blood escaped.
Upon removing little more OF the bone by the chisei
and maet cells reached and more pus escaped
think that In all ounce Of pus was discharged It
| required pressure bring 1t out The wound was
then dressed with sublimated gaCze and bandaged
The result has been in my opnon decidedly beneficial
am by no means enough predict Mr.. Conklngs
recovery. He is still in dangerous condition But MS
temperature has fallen 102 than one and half
degrees which Is encouraging and his pulse is now az 30
only. Ills strength not yet greatly reduced ana MS
splendid physique carry him through lie was ablo
TO take noushment today-abOu two quarts OF milk ana
six eight ounces OF bouilon.
THE CHANCES OF RECOVERY IMPROVED
Another physician who present said last
| evening:
Mr. ConkIing's OF recovery have been improved
by the operation II complete work Of surgery
and Dr. Sands performed 10 admirably The malet ana
chise used the trcphne has become obsolete Tho
whole operation performed strictly in accordance with
the rules of sntiseptlc surgery.
Mr.. Conkng was resting easily at IL p m:
DR.. Sands i'll private statement said that ne dld
not think that the patient could 1--we more IMAM
| forty-eight hours. Mayor Hewitt called at the
| house but was met by another caller at the door.
| The Mayor remained at the HOFFMAN House ZOE
| an hour and half waiting for news. When he was
| informed there was no change for the worse, ne
! went home.
| During much OF yesterday and all last evening
| to late hour messages of inquiry came TO NO. y
West 24-th-st. in rapid succession AT All the up,
| town hotels the utmost solicitudc was expressed
and Mr.. COnkling's illness was the sole topic OK
At midnight Mr. Conllling was rather restless.
! DR.. Anderton had just been called into the room
where he and Mrs Conkling are the only attend
ants The patient insists on getting up and walk
| ing around and IL has required all the cnorts OF
those with him to keep him from his purpose.
AT 1915 a. m Mr. COnklngs condition was
practically unchanged ana ne was waking ABOUT
his room in delirum.
EATING THE MAT OF HO9sE THAT STARVED
Pftsfeld, Mass, April (Special.A family clothed