St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-15
Mrs. Harrison's Condition Is
Very Critical and
Grave.
Physicians Diagnosis Of Her
Case Give but Little
Hope,
Although Her Condition
Grows No Worse Through
the Day.
At Midnight the Distinguished
Sufferer Was Resting
Quietly.

quietly.
LOON LAKE. N. Y, Sept. 14.-Drs.
Gardner, of Washington; Dougherty,
OF New York, and Trudeau, of Saranac,
held consultation at the presidents
cottage this morning in regard to the
case of Mrs. Harrison, and, at its close,
issued the following statement of her
condition:
Primary disease. pulmonary tubercu-
losis Of right side, associated with nerv
Gus prOstration. Recent complication,
sub-acute pleurisy, with rapid effusion
of water in the right chest. necesSitat
ing two tappings, with some relief.
Present condition critical, on account
of tendency to reproduction of fluid.
Removal to Washington at present I'M
possible. PrOgDostication as to immedi-
ate future uncertain"
The presidents family takes no en-
cOuragement from the bulleting, and
such of them as have shown themselves
this morning make no effort to conceal
their
Great Alarm at the Situation.
The physicians advise them to hope for
the best, but offer no real encourage
ment. They admit that they are
uncertain as to the result, and
have, so it is said, quietly init
mated to the president the strong
probability of fatal result
The president is most faithful COM
panion, and rarely leaves Mrs. Harrl-
sons bedside. In fact. he really shares
the nursing of the invalid with pro-
fessional attendant. Russell Harrison
and Mrs. Mckee. the presidents son
md do r,trnf fnr al IN oY,t OF
tendance. The former was summoned
from New York as soon as the
disease took dangerous turn.
He arrived here this morning.
Mrs. Russell Harrison will prob
ably also be here in a day or two. Mrs.
Dimmick and Mrs. Parker, nieces of
Mrs. Harrison, and Lieut.. Parker ac-
companied Mrs. Harrison here and have
ever since been
Unremitting in Their Attention
to her.
The presidents grandchildren, Benny
and Mary Mckee, are with their moth
er. but are purposely kept ignorant of
the, true. situation. Private Secretary
Halford is still here and will remain
with the president until he goes
to Washington. Ali hope for the best.
but all are palpably discouraged. Tn,
less there should be decided improve
ment in Mrs. Harrison's condition with
in the next few days, of which there is
very little prospect at present, the
president will not return to Washington
in time for the Grand Army encamp-
ment next week, if, indeed, he is not
detained here for several weeks beyond
that period.
In the words of Lieut.. Parker this
morning:
HI,n, y -.
Harrison until She gets better, and has
no other plans whatever"
1t is therefore apparent that his stay
here and his future movements are alto
gether cOntingen and indefinite.
One of Mrs. Harrison's physicians has
authorized the following
Statement of Her Case.
as an explanation issued this morning:
She was first taken with severe at
tack of the grip in the winter of 1890,
followed and aggravated by severe
bronchial and pulmonary troubles. last
ing some time. While at Cape May in
the summer of 1891 she again took
heavy cold and the bronchial troubles
reappeared. 1t was some weeks before
this attack yielded to treatment. Last
winter she had a second attack of the
grip, which this time was followed by
eight days. After that she was troubled
by severe cough, followed in March
last with a slight hemorrhage of the
right lung, followed by consolidation of
the right apex. This consolidation has
gradually increased up to the present
time, accompanied throughout with
nervous proStration. The conditions
stated in the bulletin then ensued, re-
sulting in the development of effuSions."
In conclusion, the physician said that
Loon Lake was selected as the best pos
sible place for the treatment of her case,
but that, as a matter of fact, there has
been no real improvement in her condi-
tion since her arrival here in the early
summer.
No Worse at Night.
The best that can be said of Mrs. Har-
rison'S condition is that it is no
worse than it was this morning when
the bulletin was issued. She rested
quietly during the day and had several
short maps. which failed, however. to
refresh her to any noticeable extent
She seems to suffer principally from eX-
haustion. Her physicians see to it that
she has as much relief as is possible
from physical pain, and employ every
known method to cheer her up. 1t is
gratifying that no more unfavorable
symptoms manifested themselves today.
All the patients friends now realize
that any new complication will be at
tended with the greatest danger. Mrs.
Harrison's vitality is at very low ebb
indeed, and cannot successfully resist
further inrOadS. She has now been
confined to her bed since last Wednes-
day, and has gradually declined in
strength. This condition is partly due
to the two operations rendered neces-
Iat nf A,,id
chest cavity. The first operation took
place on Friday last and the second on
Monday of this week. 1t is feared that
still another will be necessary in day
or two. These operations, however, af-
ford
Only Temporary Relief.
They are usually. by a sense of ex-
haustiOn and depression. Mrs. Harrison
has stood them both very we'll. and that
has been one of the few favorable feat
ures of the case during the past week.
9p. m.-Dr. Gardiner has just con-
cluded an examination of Mrs. Har-
rison. He has expressed himself TO the
family as being somewhat encouraged
at her condition. In response to in
queries of newspapermen, he said:
"Well, think there is the slight i'm
proyement in Mrs. Harrison's condition
TONIGHT from tno ldct tIiat S!le is resting
qeietly, that her respiration is not quite
so labored as it has been, and because
fluid has not gathered In her chest as
rapidly as before"
He added that he did not care to go
further into the details of the case
From other sources, however, it is
learned that while the production Of