Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-01


PATERSON, N, j., Oct. 31.-The follow
ing statement CT the origin and development
of the illness of Vice President Hobart has
been given out by his family and physician;
There are several reasons why the exact
nature of the vice presidents illness has
been withheld In the first place, the fam
lily has desired to reserve to itse.f the priv
ilege of retaining such facts as were OF
private nature at the same time recognizing
the rights of the public. Moreover, there
were reasons connected with the vice pres
ident's relations with the government which
provided a similar policy. This was done
however, not for the purpose of secrecy but
to avoid embarrassment. In addition the
effect of publicity upon the vice presidents S
health had to be considered. He was a
diligemt reader of newspapers and 1t was
observed that the alarming reports which
crept into the papers and there met the vice
presidents eyes made most unfaTorab,e
impression. For these reasons it was deemed
advisable to keep certain facts from the
| public. Recently the family and physicians
have decided to place the facts more clearly
| before those interested and the following
statement 10 issued:
! THE illness of the vice president may he
said to date from the fall CT 1885, prior to his
return to Washington in November At that
| time his physicians observed symptoms OF
| embarrassed respiration, with frequent at
| tacks OF angina pectoris. This condition re-
| sponded readily to treatment and when the
! vice precedent went to Washington in the
! latter part of November he was in good
health. He stood remarkably vel the straSn
and excitement incidental to the opening ol
congress and he was making favorable prog
ress until in January he became victim
of the grip. Following this there was 8
return of heart trouble, accompanied witt
signs of degeneration. His ailment wa;
diagnosed dilated heart due to myocar'
ditis. The recovery fr1m this attack was les
rapid and on the last day Of the session o
the senate the strain and excitement of de
livering the closing speech were so grea
that he was on the verge of a collapse
"a fe- weeks afterward, toward the mid
die of March, the vice president and family
with the presidential party, went to Thomas
vile, Ca, to visit Senator Hanna. The IA
tigue of the trip affected Mr.. Hobart yer.
much and his condition was further impaired
by the intense heat and humidity then pre-
vailing AS soon as possible he was takei
to Long Branch, Where beneficial result
were expected. HIS progress toward recov
cry was not made, however, at the rate tina
was anticipated and trip to Lake Cham
plain with the fatigue and exposure Incl
dental thereto, fastened rather than retarde,
, the course of his disease. Since then his sys
TEN has not responded to the ministration
, of his physicians and the critical condition
Of the last few days has been the result.
1T should be added that ever since his i'll
ness became serious the vice president ha
had the benefit of the best medical advic
and treatment. His attending and consulting
physicians have at all times agreed upon tn
. nature of his disease and on the treatment O
it and the results to be expected
at is apparent from this statement tha
the vice president is in no condition to re
sumo his political duties at Washington. Hi
family, therefore, desires to announce that h
will not return to Washington, nor will
again take part in public affairs. His condi
tion today is such that fatal attack may re
suit at any moment OF his present conditio
may be indefinitely prolonged"