The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-07-22
BRIGHl'S DISEASE
That is the Cause of Secretary
Blaine's Illness.
THAT Is THE WHOLE TRUTH
And Nothing but the Truth-The Statement II
Made on the Authority OF Con-
spicuous Republican
Especial to THE HERALD-Examiner Dispatch.


NEW YORK, July 2l.-The World to-day
Tuesday publishes the following double
loaded story from Washington:
THE time has come to tell the truth
about Mr.. Blaine. Some of US who love
the Republican party better than any indi-
vidual have known il for some time. We
had hoped for reasons that are apparent
that it would not be necessary to speak
out, at least at present, but it is unjust to
President Harrison, unjust TO the Repub-
lican party and unjust to the people of the
United States to conceal the facts any
longer. MIR. Blaine's ailment is Bright's
disease in the second stage and passing 10
the third. How long his constitution will
withstand the constant drain upon his
system nobody can tell, but the disease is
firmly established, and it is incurable.
That Is the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth"
The speaker was a conspicuous Repub-
iican and was formerly, and says he IS
now. q friend Of the secretary of state. He
has maintained steadfastly of late, how
ever, the President must De reuominated.
He made the above statement in response
to an inquiry from World correspondent
He spoke as if from settled conviction and
not without trace of indignation.
II repeat" he continued more vehe-
mently. "that it would be unjust TO
President Harrison, the RepuD lican party
and the entire people to hide the fact
another day. l read the interview with
MIR. Blaine in the World and read the ar
ticle in the Herald. They had precisely
the effect that L anticipated. They gave
rise To the impression that there is some
sort of conspiracy on the part Of the Re-
publican leaders TO misrepresent the condi-
ton of MIR. Biaine's health. and so, as he is
reported 10 TO have said, get him out OF
the way Hints have been dropped ali eady
by rabid Blaine men who are ignorant of
the facts 10 the effect that even the Presi-
dent Is concerned in such plot Anything
more outrageous was never conceived. II
is perfectly true that Mr.. Harrison has not
said that Mr.. Blaine had only over worked
and would soon be all right He has not
said so for the simple reason that he could
not say so honestly. He understands the
situation as well as / and few others do,
and he knows perfectly well Mr.. Blsine's
disease Is incurable, and that consequently
he cannot be a candidate for the presi
dency. Now MIR. Blaine says in the World
interview that he has not Brlght's disease,
and do rot doubt for moment that he
is entirely honest in his belief.
His timidity regarding everything concern
strict silence has been enjoined. But he is
above all a patriot and Republican, and if
he could see, as l see, how serious is the
danger OF disrupting the party oy this talk
OF conspiracy, / feel certain he would be
willing TO have the truth known. 1t has
only been limited at thus far, although Mr..
Edmunds did mention the fact to reporter
somewhere in the south short time ago,
nor would anything tempt me TO say q
nd atr IN mi f0r no dan
to the party and hence to the country to
which l have referred"
The correspondent asked how it was
possible 10 speak so positively. This was
his reply: ~ can speak with absolute GER
tainty because there is no doub. about it.
Tue existence of kidney trouble was first
suspected during MIR. Blaine's visit to his
daughter, the late Mrs. Coppinger, in In
dian territory. II was announced then he
was suffering from an attack Of bronchitis.
But the symptoms were so peculiar that
MIR. kerens, the well.known contractor Of
st. Louis, who was and IS a staunch friend
of Mr.. Blaine, took an eminent physician
on a special train and FASTENED to his side.
Indications were then discovered Of the
commencement Of the primary stage Of
Bright's disease. Whether Mr.. Blaine
was informed of the danger which threat
ened him at that time, l do not know.
Since that time the progress of the disease
has been slow but certain. 1t Is now in
the second and passing to the third stage.
''You asked how l was able TO speak so
positively on this point. / will tell you.
There is only one method Of determining
the presence of Bright's disease, and that
is by chemical and microscoDical examina
ton of the urine. The symptoms are other
wise indefinite. Sometimes there is no
pain whatever in the region of the loins.
Headache, indigestion, nassau, vomiting
and swelling of the ankles are frequently
noted. With the exception of the latter
symptom, the others may scarcely be
recognized. The heart and the lungs are
alphabetically affected. The heart may
become enlarged and the bronchial tubes
may display tendency towards inflamms-
ton. This last symptom had distressed
the secretary of state frequently and does
at the present time. The accurate diagno-
sis, therefore, until the disease is ad-
vanced TO an extreme stage is only ascer-
tanned by testing the urine. These are
almost the exact words Of a specialist"