The Portland daily press., 1892-12-19
FAMILY AT HIS BEDSIDE
EXPECTING THE END.
The Sufferer Sank Yesterday Morning
and Has VeryNear Death.
HIS ILLNESS NOW ADMITTED TO
BE BRIGHT'S DISEASE.

His Present Critical Condition thel Result
of Cold Caught While Driving-Yes
terday Was One of Excitement and
Anxiety in Washington, But as Night
Approached, the Reports from the
Sick Room Were Not Quite So Dis
couraging-The Physicians Believe
Their Patient VIII Live Some Time
Yet-Early This Marning, He Was
Resting Quietly.
WASHINGTON, December 1S.-All day
long, the life or James G. Blaine has
hung trembling in the balance. For
more than an hour in the afternoon, hope
was abandoned and the end momentarily
expected by physicians, family and
| friends. All stimulation was thrown
aside in the apparent imminent presence
of death, and the suppressed facts Of
his illness were tacitly admitted-the
long denied Bright's disease, the occa-
sional intervals of delirium, the long
| hours when he has lain incapable of
speech or motion, as it now said was the
case when Cardinal Gibbons paid his
recent friendly call, and the other dis
tressing features of his illness. All these
features were incidental to the overpow-
ering organic trouble, iBright's disease,
aggravated as this has been of late by a
cold contracted while out driving, by
malarial fever, and confronted by a con-
stitution impaired by nearly two years
of continual sickness. The physicians
assert that there has not been any hem
orrhage. This is almost the only alarm
ing symptom now denied.
The first crisis was reached between 10
and II this morning, when sinking
spell set in, from which the worst was
feared. Mr.. Blaine's family was called
to his bedside, and his physicians sent
messengers to the nearest drug store
with prescriptions requiring hasty atten-
ton. The distinguished patient lay un-
conscious and to all appearance dying,
until shortly before noon, when slight
rally set in. His pulse, which had al
most ceased to beat, became again per-
ceptible, and partial consciousness was
restored. AT O'Clock his physicians,
Drs. W. W. Johnstone and Hyatt, con-
sidered him so much better as to render
their constant presence at his bedside
unnecessary. There had been no marked
improvement and no change in his con-
dition upon which hopes Of ultimate re-
covery could be based, but the immedi-
ate crisis had passed.
At 2.30 a reporter saw J. G. Blaine, Jr.
at the family residence. He said his
fathers attack this morning was very
bad and created te gravest apprehen-
sion. The patient became so weak it
was feared that recurrence of the at
tack must involve the gravest conse-
quences.
Mrs. Hale, wife of Senator Hale, was
at the house several hours during the
day, and made a second call late in the
afternoon. 1t was about 5 o'clock when
she left. Soon after, Senator Hale
called. Mr.. Hale stated as he left the
house: ''Mr. Blaine seems
A Little More Comfortable
than earlier in the day, but his condition
appeared critical. 1t may be he will re-
cover, but those who have an interest in
him, have reason to be alarmed. In
fact, his condition is alarming. It is
difficult to name the trouble. 1t is a
general physical breaking up. When he
takes cold, that brings on a consuming
fever, and he is not in condition to with
stand it. Besides there are other COM
plications. His mind is perfectly clear"
The house was lighted up early, but
all the lower shutters were chosen. Drs.
Hyatt and Johnstone were to meet at
the house for consultation between
and S, but they were sent for just before
s. Both soon reached the house. Their
arrival gave rise to a rumor that the pa
tient was suffering from another attack
The statement was authoritatively made
at p. m. that nothing in the nature of
relapse had occurred. While the I'M
proyement in Mr.. Blaine's condition was
but slight, the reaction seemed to modi-
fly the feeling of apprehension for the
immediate future. James G. Blaine, Jr.
and Walter Damrosch walked down the
avenue this evening.
All day, representatives of the press
have patrolled Madison place and care
fully watched the old mansion which has
became celebrated for it's historical asso-
Citations and the
Fatality With Which Misfortune
has followed its occupants. From the
Sickles-Key tragedy, which occurred
more than third of a century age, fol-
lowed by the attempted assassination OF
Secretary Seward during the last year of
the civil war, down to the present time,
a pail of i'll fate has hung over the man,
sion. During less than four years oecu-
IA rnl,,r hnusa la1, fha Rlaina