The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-08-31
THE PRESIDENTS ILLNEss.

The Report OF q Surgical Operation Con-
1rmed-The Disease Dangerous One,
How He stood the Operation.
New YoRK, August S0,-The story
published by the Philadelphia Press,
giving detailed account of surgical
operation on President Cleveland for a
canceroua affection in the mouth, is
confirmed by DR.. Ferdinand Has
brouck, the eminent dentist, who as
sisted in the operation. The truth con-
cerning the Presidents condition has
been concealed tor nearly two months,
although Mr.. Cleveland himself an
nounced publicly just before he last left
Washington for his summer home at
Buzzard's Bay that his health was seri-
ously threatened.
The interview with DR.. Hasbrouck is
as follows:
81 have read the article in to-day's
Philadelphia Press, which purports to
give an account OF President Cleve-
lands disease and the operation per-
formed upon him. The publication
calls, I think, for an authoritative
statement The Preaident's disease is
or was-for the operation may have
been successful in removing it-a
growth in the bones Of his left upper
jaw, and the adjoining bones Of the
nose. The operation consisted in re-
moving the diseased portions OF the
bone, and was performed about 1880
o'clock on the morning OF Saturday,
July l, while the President was on
board OF Mr.. Benedict's yacht, the
Oneida. I want TO cay that ] do not
think the disease is the same as that
which caused the death OF General
Grant.
"Dr. Bryant, another surgeon, whom
will mot name, and myself went on
board the yacht at this city on Friday
night, the night before the operation.
The next day about 10 o'clock the Pres
ident prepared himself for the knife.
He laid down, announced that he was
ready and I administered nitrous oxide
to him, He responded to the an@sthet'
ic promptly, and was soon unconscious.
In order to enable the surgeons to cut
away the bone, which was the seat
of the disease, extracted two bi.
cuspid teeth from tho left side Of
the upper Jaw. The surgeons then took
charge. There was no external incision
in the flesh OF the face, the operators
working entirely within the cavity OF
the mouth. The seat of the diseased
growth was in the lower bones of the
nose, and IN the adjoining bone tissue
on the left side OF the upper jaw. This
diseased bone was cut away, piece by
piece, and perhaps an inch or more
Of bono was go removed. While
the operation was in progress the Pres
ident revived from the effects Of the
anasthetic, and / was obliged to admin
lister it to him second time. Mr..
Cleveland stood the nitrous oxide very
we'll, and no bad effects were produced
by II. The operation, so iar as ! could
see, was an entire success! The loss OF
blood was not great"
DR.. Hasbrouck was then asked:
SIS the disease OF the President cura-
ble2"
To this he replied:
II have no doubt 1t is, provided it is
attended to in time, and that was the
object Of the operation. Enough Of the
hone tissue was cut out to make certain
that the entire extraneous growth had
been removed"
as it cancer? Is the disease cancer
GUS in Its nature" he was asked.
"That ! will not say" replied DR.. Has
brouck. "That is for DR.. Bryant to say,
and could only be determined by mi.
croscopical examination Of the diseased
bone removed"