Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-13
EX-SENATOR CONKLING.
His Condition Very Much Improved.
The Chances Now One in Ten That He
Will Recover
NEW YORK. April IL

NEW YORK, April l2.
At 10 DIR. Barker said that Conkling i
anything was a tritie better, but there wa
no particular gain. He has taken plenty o
nourishment today, principally beef tea
He rested very easily all day and whei
asleep ,njoyed healthy and pleasant rest
When awake he was quiet and free from
dellrium. He recognized DIR. Barker ant
shook hands with him: he also recognized
Judge Shipman who called. His tempera
ture and pulse is unchanged. An attendau
in the Hoffman House says that anasiheuc.
are being given AID the doctors generally
are fixing him up. DIR. Barker said; "Tha
is one thing on which do not care to speak
/ If we tell the public that anesthetics are be-
( ing applied they will consider the situation
more serious than what it really is. | am
giving you all the information | consider
judiclous to give the public proper under.
standing of the condition of things" August
Belmont and Col. Fred Grant called this af
| ternoon. AT about ) o'clock Stokes called
on Conkling and found him very nervous
I He recognized the visitor by an inclination
of the head. Stokes was very favorably
impressed with the sufferers appearance.
At 7.+0 Mrs. Conkling informed Frederick
a. Conkling, his brother, that he was sleep
ing and there was no change for the worse.
Henry Melville, Conking's law partner, re-
ported at 5 80 that the sick man was lying
half asleep Mrs. Conkling was
SO much encouraged that she would
retire tonight for the first time in four nights,
Drs. Barker and Sands called at 8. 10 and
remained in consultation until 10. They
then left. DR.. Barker told the reporters
that Conkling was in splendid condition and
that when he entered the room, Conkling
recognized him. He said Il am glad TO see
yon doctor" Then he dropped into quiet
sleep. Since o'clock he has taken 10
ounces of milk According to DIR. Barker
Conkling has fair chance of recovery,
about one in ten. The sMedical Record of
April Il will contain the following;
The case of Senator Conkling. which is
now engaging so much public attention, il
illustrates III a striking manner the grave re-
suits of the extension of the inflammatory
process from the middle of the ear TO the
brain.
1t is quite probable that the initiative attack
stitis media, attended with supperatlou
in the tympanic cavity and the adjoining
cavity of the antrum Nature failing to
make an exit for the pus through the drum
head, the disease has extended itself to the
mastoid cells and meninges. The usual Sc
we're symptoms manifested themselves when
DIR. Fordyce Barker called to prescribe for
what the patient supposed was simply a ''boil
in the ear" The grave aspect of the disease
is explained by the broken down condition of
the patient AT the time of the attack. it being
well known that under such conditions the
intlammatory process is virulent and apt to
extend into the neighboring parts, involving
not only the mastoid cells but the meninges
of the brain and the periosteum everything
the mastoid. The management of these
eases is manifestly in the direction of a
prompt evacuation of the pent up secretions,
At the earliest possible moment free incis-
ion is to be made into the abscess, which in
these cases is far up into the
tympanum and which is not generally
reached by the ordinary puncture of the
drumhead When the disease progresses
further Wilde's incision and perforation of
the mastod give relief, but unfortunately
both operations were resorted to when too
late TO be of any benefit 1t is to be hoped in
the case of the distinguished Senator, the
rule regarding the operation may have its
exception and ultimate recovery take place;
but as purulent pachymeningtis has already
declared itself, the chances are ON the wrong
side