The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-12-19
TREMBLING IN TIE BALANCE
The End of Ex-Secretary Blaine
MOmentarily Expected.
LONG HOURS HE LAY INCAPABLE OF
SPEECH OR MOTION.


Malarial Fever-Taken With Sink
ing Spell, Physicians Fear the
Worst, and Summons Members of
the Family to the Bedside.
Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
WASHINGTON, Dec lS.-All day long
the life of James G. Blaine has hung
trembling in the balance. For more than
an hour in the forenoon hope was aban-
doned, and the end was momentariIy ex-
pected by the physicians, family and
friends. All stimulation was thrown
aside in the apparent presence of death,
and the suppressed facts Of his illness,
long denied, were now admitted -Bright's
disease. There were occasional intervals
OF delirium in the long hours when he
laid incapable of speech or motion (as is
now said was the case when Cardinal
Gibbons paid him the recent friendly
call.) These and other distressing feat
ures of his illness are all incidental to
the one overpowering organic trouble.
Bright's disease, aggravated as it has
been oflate by a cold contracted while i'm
prudently venturing out driving two
weeks ago. and by maIarial fever, and
confronted by a constitution impaired by
nearly two years OF continual sickness,
all these things are now tacitly admitted.
The physicians assert that there has not
been hemorrhageS, as asserted, but this
IS almost the only alarming symptom
which is now denied.
The first crisis was reached between 10
and II O'Clock this morning, when a
sinking spell set in, in which the worst
was feared. The family was called
around the bedside and the physicians
sent messenger after messenger to the
nearest drug store with prescriptions re-
quiring hasty attention. The distin-
guished patient lay unconscious, and to
all appearances dying, until shortly be-
fore O'Clock, when a slight rally set in.
His pulse, which had almost ceased to
beat, became again perceptible, and par
tial consciousness was restored. AT 2
o'clock the physicians, Drs. w. w.
johnson and Hyatt, considered the pa
tient so much improved as to render con-
stant presence at the bedside unnecessary.
While there has been no change in his
condition on which hopes of ultimate re-
covery could be based the immediate
crisis, it was believed, had passed.
AT 2:30 O'clock this afternoon Il reporter
saw James G. Blaine. Jr., at the family
residence. He said his fathers attack
this morning was very bad and created
the gravest apprehension. His condition
became so weak that it was feared, in
view of his enteebled condition, a recur-
renee must involve the grayest conse-
quence.
At 3 o'clock Senator Hale called. He
said as he left the house later that Blaine
seemed a little more comfortable than
early in the day, but his condition ap-
peared critical. The statement was
authoritatiYely made at p. N. that moth
ing in the nature of a relapse had oc-
Cured. While the Improvement in Mr..
Blaine's condition was but slight, and
not sufficient to afford any great amount
of encouragement to the family and
friends, the reaction seemed to modify
the feeling of apprehension in the imme-
diate future.
DIR. Hyatt said that he thought there
was no doubt Blaine would live through
the night, but at the same time he was
undoubtedly critically ill. Any complica-
uons that may arise would doubtless
cause fatal termination to his illness.
A little later James q. Blaine, Jr., said
to the reporters: I'VE think father is con-
sderably better than this morning. The
physicians have been here this evening,
and we now think he will live during the
night, and hope for the best. Still it must
be said he is very dangerously ILL.,"
President Harrison, accompanied by
Private Secretary Halford, this evening
personally inquired as to Blaine's condi-
ton. He ex pressed relief and gratifica-
ton at the abatement of the more alarm
ing symptoms.
The excitement throughout the city was
intense as the news Of Blaine's condition
spread, and though it was Sunday. the
newspapers issued extras, which found
rapid sale.
From an intimate friend of the family
it was learned that it was only when
Blaine was seized with sinking spell
this morning, which threatened Tor some
minutes to terminate in heart failure, did
the family fully realize how near he was
to death. For few seconds he seemed to
be in extremis, and the watchers bent
anXiously over him. The emaciated face
of the dying statesman was as white as
marble and the features sadly drawn. At
times he scarcely seemed to breathe and
at others gasped for breath. The physi-
clans, who were hastily summoned, piled
him with stimulative cOrdials trained
nurses chafed his extremitieS, and it was
only after working over The patient for
upward of thirty minutes and the appli-
cation of every art known to the medical
profession on him that Mr.. Blaine slowly
revived.
But the battle with death found him ex-
tremely weak-weaker than at any time
when suffering relapse. He was too
weak even to whisper, and made no sign
of recognition. The family, gathered
around the bedside, were all in tears ex-
cept Mrs. Blaine. She maintained out
ward composure throughout the trying
scene, and calmly gave such directions to
the attendants as necessary. Her will
power, in fact, while her heart was break
ing, was described as something pathetic
and marvellous.
At $3.50 o'clock tonight a reporter had
an interview with MIR. Blaine's attend
ing physicians. Speaking for them both.
better tonight than last night, and much
better than this morning.
"You apprehend no danger of immedi-
ate dissolution, then?'
mo, on the other hand, if he maintains
his present ability to take nourishment.
ana regalus suthclent strength to over
come or obvlate future attacks like that
of to-day, there is nothing in the disease
that should carry him Of"
At IL p. 81. MeSSrS. Johnston and HYATT
saw Blaine again, and gave out the fol-
lowing statement: MIR. Blaine seems to
have rallied entirely from the weakness
of this morning, and appears to be as
well as at any time he has been in the
past week. Wnlle Ii is not possible to
say what changes may take place in his
condition, he can be said to be in no inn
mediate Danger
The doctors called at the Blaine man
sion at 1880, and found the patient doing
so well that they told the family they had
no apprehension OF a dissolution during
the next twenty-four hours. At 1880 this
morning all was quiet in the house.
NEW YORK. Dec. 1S.-Dr. Alfred D.
Loomis, the leading specialist in New
York City. and probably in America on
Bright's disease, was tonight summoned
to Washington to attend ex-Secretary
Blaine.