The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-03-02
THE pOpE'S
ILLNESS !
A Successful Operation Performed
on the Aged Pontif,
BUT THE DANGER Is NOT OVER

DR.. Mazzoni Declares That Pneumonia
May Yet Develop, and Another Re-
port Has II That the Pope's Physl-
clans Fear Blood Poisoning.
Rome, March 2,-The following Of
fetal bulletin has been issued: His
holiness underwent an operation yester-
day for the removal Of a long standing
cvst. which suddenly became inhamcd.
His holiness bore the operation remark
ably we'll, although II was impossible Co
use chloroform. The pope's condition Is
now fairly satisfactory"
The hematic cyst, which was about tho
size Of an orange, had been forming
probably, for 80 years. The only per
sons present at the operation were Or.
Mazzoni, DR.. Lapponi, who assisted, and
DR.. Pio Contra. the pope's personal at
tendant. At $50 his holiness was car
ricd on litter TO a window OF his apart
ment, Smiling, he said 70 the doctors:
'Do you want TO play those tricks upon
me at my agef Then he lay down com
posedly on his right side. Although the
courage which the patient displayed
gave the doctors courage, they feared to
use chloroform, and used instead a
liquid anaesthetic, consisting OF cocaine,
chloride Of sodium and morphia.
Owing to the size Of the growth the
excision occupied some time, but Or.
Mazzoni quickly traced tine extent OF the
growth, and the actual operation lasted
- minutes. The pope displayed great
fortitude After the bandaging he was
carried back TO the bed, and. once the
feeling of faintness due 10 shock and
loss Of blood had passed away, he ap-
peared quite calm. The fever quickly
subsided, confirming the diagnosis OF the
doctors
According TO Italic, his holiness sur
fered great pain during the operation.
and remarked afterward to his doctor:
Il understand now the seriousness Of my
illness. You must have great courage to
operate upon an old man like myself"
When he consented TO the operation
his holiness said to Dr. Lapponi: 1T is
a truly disagreeable thing to me to sepa-
rate myself from this cyst just when l
am about to go. after having had its com
pany for a third OF my life
During the operation the pope asked
his private chaplain. Father Angel, to
say mass. After the surgeons had com
pleted their task he was in excellent
spirits and even joked with them. His
holiness slept two hours during the day.
At 6 o'clock Drs. Mazzoni and Lap
poni again visited him and found that
the pain caused by the operation had so
far abated as to allow his holiness 20 lie
on his back. At that hour his tempera-
ture was lower and his general condi-
ton satisfactory.
1t was ascertained on inquiry at the
Vatican at midnight that the pope was
resting TRANQUILITY. The wound contin-
ues healthy, and the pain has diminished.
After the operation, it appears, the weak
ness, due 10 loss of blood, became ex-
treme, and his holiness lost conscious
ness and muttered uninteligible Latin
phrases. Cordials, broths and cham
payne were administered with good
effect
In other quarters it is asserted that
the pope is still suffering from difficulty
in respiration and from pain in the lum-
bar region. DR. Mazzoni says that it is
possible pneumonia may disclose itself.
Altogether the progress Of the disorder
is problematical. There is a rumor to-
day that the pope's physicians fear blood
poisoning.