The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-06
The Family Around the Bedside All
Last Night, Expecting the End
at Any Hour.
A MARVELLOUS CONSTITUTION
ALL THAT PREVENTS THE VITAL
SPARK FROM FLYING AWAY.
President Mckinley Leaves Washing-
ton Again Tonight for a Race
Back to Canton.

CANTON. o., Dec. 5.-Mother Mckinley
has passed the fourth day of her illness and
entered on the fourth night with the spark
of life still burning dimly. There was no
material development in her case to-day.
Her condition continued one of steadily
wasting away the constitution growing
weaker hourly under the assault of the dis
ease. The family watched by the bedside
all day, prepared for the end at any mo-
ment, and sometimes feeling that 1t had
come, as the patient was seized with sink
ing spells such as they yesterday mistook
for a second stroke of paralysis During
these attacks she would perceptibly
weaken, almost cease to breathe, and show
scarcely a sign of animation. For the most
part these spells were limited to half an
hour, and when they were over she would
resume the quiet repose characteristic of
the entire Illness. About the middle of the
afternoon, however, a more serious sinking
spell occurred and lasted for two hours.
Several times those keeping vigil thought
the last flutter of life's flame had come. The
attack passed away at last, leaving the pa
tient almost the same as before 1t occurred.
There is still a possibility that she may
survive the night or even longer but those
who have been at the bedside most con-
stantly have the least hope of such a re-
suit. They have seen the patient weaken
so steadily that they cannot hope she will
much longer endure.
Communication was established with the
White House as soon as the President ar
rived there this morning and a telegraph
wire is constantly open to Washington to
advise the President of every occurrence
in the sick room. Besides this he has sew
eral times talked with his brother Abner
by telephone.
DIR. Phillips, the attending physician, made
a number of calls during the day. This
evening he said he could report nothing par
ticularly new. There had been no notable
change in the patient during the day. She
had continued to grow weak in the same
manner, at about the same rate as during
the past few days. He was satisfied that
this condition would prevail to the end.
Asked as to the prospects of her surviving
the night, he said:
yes there is a possibility of her living
till morning. Indeed, am inclined to think
she will. But she has been weakening 50
long that no one can make prediction for
the future with any assurance of certainty.
The case is one in which we must be pre-
pared for the end at any moment When
the end comes it will merely be the passing
out of the comatose condition in which she
now rests to the sleep of death. There will
be no rally, no more conscious periods, no
final struggle
The patient has taken no nourishment
since Thursday. 1t cannot be administered
by ordinary methods, and the case is one
in which heroic methods of administering
food not regarded justifiable. They
could not restore health, would be distress
ing and annoying, and might hasten the
end