The record-union., 1892-10-24
Special to the RrcoRp-UN1ow.

WAsHINGToN, Oct. 23.-Mrs. Harrison
is approaching the end. How long it will
esbefore death supervenes cannot be
told. 1t may be only a few hours, OF
possibly day or more, but tnat she can
not last much longer is certain. This has
been sad Sunday tor the President, the
family and other faithful watchers at Mrs.
Harrison's bedside.
DR.. Gardner up to 10 o'clock had paid
six visits to the sickroom in the south
west corner of the Presidents home, and
each time he could give no word of en-
couragement to the anxious family. His
story, as gathered from reports of the
doctor, is one of so steady and rapid de-
cline of the little remaining strength oi
the patient that it seemed the utmost limit
of weakness possible with life has been
reached. The present change for the
worse. which is more alarming than any
previous decline, set in last night, and as
a consequence she grew much weaker.
She was already in most exhausted
condition, and further loss of strength
made it questionable whether even her
remarkable vitality could bring about
another rally.
DIR. Gardner this morning at o'clock
found the patient so weak that he feared
the end was near at hand. He visited
her again soon and found that she con-
tinued to grow steadily weaker and
could scarcely move. Her condition was
so alarming tnat the doctor repeated his
visit within a short time, and finding all
efforts to rally her unavailing and that
her strength continued to ebb away he
made yet another call two hours later.
DR.. Gardner visited the White House
Il ~.
fourth time he had seen Mrs. Harrison
during the day. AS he was driving out
of the grounds he was stopped by rep
resentative of the Associated Press and
in response to an inquiry said Mrs. Har-
riSon was in state of extreme eXhaus-
ton and unless she could rally from it
she was apt to pass away within few
hours.
In his opinion she is now as weak as
she possibly could be and still live. She
began failing this morning and gradually
became weaker and weaker. She dis
played remarkable vitality throughout,
but has nearly reached the limit OF her
endurance.
In reply to a direct question on the
point, DR.. Gardner said Mrs. Harrison
might pass away at any time within a
lew hours, and again she might linger in
the present state for forty-eight hours.
While he did not say so, he intimated
plainly JnaC ne feared the END would
come before morning.
Seven O'Clock again found DIR. Gardner
at the White House. He staid about half
an hour and when he came down stairs
could give no word of encouragement
He said Mrs. Harrison was so weak she
had not even the strength to cough and
her condition was critical in the extreme
sense of the word. Death might come
any time now.
When DIR. Gardner left the house after
10 o'clock he said Mrs. Harrison was rest
ing quietly, and he did not think she
would die tonight. There is still evil
dence in the case of the patients wonder
ful vitality for the doctor said although
she was weaker than when he last saw
her, yet she was stronger than he ex-
pected to find her.
Mrs. Harrison suffered from nervous
ness during the day. and this helped to
bring about the exhaustion which was
fastening the decline that had been in
progress all day. She sleeps about half
an hour at time and takes but little
nourishment, consisting of peptonized
beef with stimulants. She is perfectly
conscious.
Before leaving the house DIR. Gardner
notified the President and members of
the family of the exceedingly precarious
condition of Mrs. Harrison, but said be
would not call again during the night
unless summoned by information of a
change in her present condition. The
President ana family, fearful of the
worst, are sitting up with the invalid.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 24.-At 2:40 O'Clock
this (Mondayl morning everything was
quiet at the White House, but most of
the members of the family were still sit
ting up.