The Portland daily press., 1888-04-14
THE SYMPTOMS OF A DAY.
Yesterdays Reports of MIR. conk-
Ilng's Battle for Life.
Indications :of a. Serious Change In
His Condition
Followed by Appearances Which
Give Rise to Renewed Hope.

New YORK, April 13.-A mother night OF
wholesome rest is placed on record for Mr..
Conkling to-day. He only awoke twice dur
ing the night The patient, doctors and at
tendants were all resting quietly at o'clock
this morning.
DR.. Barker issued the following bulletin at
o'clock:
Mr. ConkIing passed a good night He slept
well and his mind is clearer this morning.
At9.20 Pat Murray. the Hoffman House
porter, who has great influence over Mr..
Conkling in moments Of delirium, was called
in while Drs. Barker and Sands made their
morning visit.
When DR.. Barker left at 10 o'clock, he said
To a reporter: ''There is marked improve
ment. Mr.. Conkling spent good night in
sleep. without the aid of any narcotics or
hromide. His pulse now is "a, and his tenn
perature 99 He Is more natural wnen
awake. ~.
prepared to say that the. Senator mas one
chance of recovery In six
When asked regarding the opinion ex-
pressed by the Medical Record that the rule
was that death followed the operation per
formed on the Senator, DIR. Barker said:
That's true. l have said that are nye
changes out of six against US.
"Mr. C0nkling is suffering from an IN
flammation of the membrane covering the
brain, treacherous and dangerous disease.
But for more than "a hours he has been I'M
proving perceptibiy, and, l repeat. unless !;
some complication arises, he will recover:
DIR. Barker said that Mr.. Conkling is In
the second stage Of his malady-the stage Oh
depression. Should he continue for another
"a hours as he has been for the past 80, u
would be fair to predict that he would be out
of danger, and in a week he would be ON the
convalescent list.
Alarming Symptoms.
NEW YORK, April bat 8 p. nj. DIR. Bar
ker issued the following bulletin;
Mr.. Conkling is not quite so we'll AT p. m.
he had nervous twitching OF the muscles, ana op-
jects to taking milk n0urisqment. NO officlal oD-
seryations were taken as IL was not thought de-
sirable to disturb the patent, who was sleeping.
DIR. Barker said he did not like the symp-
toms. Mr.. Conkling was not sleeping as
well as last night or this morning. DR.. An
derton came out at 6 O'Clock and said: "Mr;
Conkling lost some ground this aftsrnoon:
At ,610 p. m. Henry Melville, Mr.. Conk-
lings law partner, said there was no change
but the family were very anxious. The ply
sicians predicted that Mr.. Conkling would
| be better inside Of three days. The predc-
| tion has been fulfilled In the Hoffman
| very sick. The twitching Of the muscles
| spoken of, is believed to indicate the accumu-
| lation of more pus and Is regarded as bad
| sign. 1t is generally believed the patient
cannot hold out much longer
AChange for the Better.
NEW YORK. April 13.-Dr. Barker and
Dr. Sands called at $40 p. m. When DIR.
Sands came out at 8. 30, he was asked about
the condition Of Mr.. Conkling, and replied
that there was no change. He referred the
reporter to DIR. Barker. DIR. Barker subse-
quently said. This afternoon, feared a
failure of the nerve centers. Mr.. Conkling
was asleep at p. m. but not in normal and
healthy sleep. He was only doing. and
talked and muttered toihimself He refused
to take nOurishment, and only received two
ounces of milk during the day. Since $50
there has been a change for the better. lie
has given up twitching and now takes milk.
| The wound was not dressed today. His tenn
| perature is 104 As, with slight increase in
| pulse to 90, which is very good, being almost
| normal. will be satisfied if there is no
| change for the worse before / call again at
| ii D. IN. if.then find him the same will 20
| home and take good nights rest"
DR.. Barker called shortly after IL O'Clock
and stayed half an hour. The patient spoke
to him. He seemed comfortable and fell
| asleep before the Doctor left. He was still
| taking nourishment without difficulty, con-
| sisting milk and a little whiskey. His
| temperature had risen slightly ssince the
| DOCTORS previous visit. He was otherwise
unchanged