The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-19
LIFE HANGING BY A THREAD.
GOV. ATKINsON's CONDITION VERY
CRITICAL.

The Crisis Not Passed Yet and ANY
Hour May Bring "A Change for the
Worse-A Slight Improvement In
His Condition at II O'Clock Last
Night as Compared With @ o'clock.
The Symptoms of PeritOnitis.
Atlanta, Ga. June 1S.-The life Of Geor-
ela's governor hangs on a slender thread.
II may snap at any moment, yet there is
still hope that his life may be spared and
the change may be for the better instead
OF the worse within the next few hours,
when the crisis is reached.
The physicians, who held consultations
ats o'clock this morning and o'clock this
afternoon, refused to commit themselves
in their official bulletins. though individ-
ually they express hope. They can do
nothing further. however. but must wait
on nature. Medical science has done all
St is possible to do.
The chief executive has had the very
flower of the medical profession of the
city at his beside and in the face of the
most adverse conditions. they have per-
formed what is in itself a spendid surgical
operation. The crisis lies in the aftermath,
in the collapse of the patient from the
terrible shock of the scalpel.
The bulletin issued at o'clock this af-
ternoon, in the light of constant observa-
tiOn during the day. is not regarded as
at all favorable, in fact the words of the
physicians fell almost like a knell upon
the assembled watchers who awaited the
result of the consultation at the man
sir WA fOl1
p. m.-We have just left the govern
ors room. He has passed a reasonable
comfortable day, though his condition is
still very critical. His pulse is 92 and his
temperature 101.
The bulletin of the first consultation at
o'clock this morning was: I'VE have
just examined Gov. Atkinson and held
consultation over the condition. He raj
lied well from the operation, and has
slept considerably since o'clock. He has
a good pulse, no fever and his condition
at this hour is as good as we could reas-
onably expect"
The bulletins are signed by Drs. Holmes,
Howe. Nicholson, Cooper and Westmore-
land.
The governor was regarded in a very
hopeful condition during the morning,
when the first bulletin was issued and ev-
erybody felt that he would master the
disease, but as the day drew on, it be-
came apparent that his condition grew
more unfavorable. Fever set in and his
temperature rose until the greatest anxl-
ETY. has been felt for him since the 6
o'clock bulletin He is very weak, the
pain from which he suffered on Sunday
having almost exhausted him.
There is now no doubt that the opera
tion was unwisely delayed, but the ply
Bicians hesitated to take such a course
Peritonitis had already set in and the
appendix was found perforated and dis
charging pus when the operation was per-
formed last night. This is what increases
the gravity of the case. The governor
could not possibly have lived had the
operation not been performed, and the
fact that peritonitis had already begun
before the operation robs the operation
of much of its certain efficacy.
Mrs. Atkinson has been cons family with
the governor since the operation last night.
He has been fully conscious since the ether
lost Its effect, and while too weak TO talk
he nevertheless feels hopeful and deter
mined. The physicians put their depend
ence on the governors strong constitution
and his iron will in the prognosis of the
final result. The crisis will probably be
reached tonight or tomorrow. Until to-
morrow the physicians can give no positive
opinion.
All day long there has been a constant
stream of callers at the mansion and inqui-
res for the patients condition have been
In every ones mouth. Fully five hundred
kilograms of inquiry and sympathy
have been received at the mansion to-day,
showing the profound feeling of the people
for the stricken governor.
AT 10 O'Clock tonight the physicians held
another consultation. making the third
for to-day. Tomorrow morning at $3.50
o'clock the physicians win meet again In
consultation. AS a result of the consulta-
ton tonight, DIR. Holmes made a state
ment to the Morning News correspond
ent at II o'clock in which he said that
While the governors condition is still crit
ical, yet in some slight respects there
was an improvement over his condition
When the o'clock bulletin was issued.
While the doctors are hopeful, they cam
not yet say that the governor will re.
cover. 1t has now been nearly twenty
Tour hours since the operation and the
patients condition, Dr. Holmes says, Is
as good as could have been expected. He
mas not lost anything for the day, taking
MS condition tonight as compared with
what it was this morning, but in his state
ment Dr. Holmes says his condition is
so critical that an hour or two might
make a great change. The symptoms or
peritonitis have been more marked to-
night than during the day. A close
watch is being kept on the patient to-
night to note the slightest change in his
condition.