The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-09-12

,
public officials.
Improvement Is Rapid.
The presidents physicians have
been impressed with his remarkable
recuperative powers and the rapidity
of his improvement. Ordinarily an in
cision for such an operation as was
performed upon the chief executive
should heal within three weeks, but
in the Presidents case he may be
strong enough TO be moved a little
sooner. The president will be taken
direct to Washington as soon as it is
safe to move him. Within the sick
room many evidences of the presi-
dents improvement were apparent.
The president himself began to show
confidence in his ability to care for
L-mself, and from time to time he
would carefully turn himself to get
a more restful position. Monday he
took the precaution to ask if he
might be permitted to move, but
Tuesday he changed his position on
his own volition, without difficulty.
The nurses naturally observed with
care these evidences of growing
strength and courage, and were ready
to see that there was no undue tax
ON the presidents strength or the
straining of The wound. These slight
movements from side to side are all
that he has attempted thus far, and
it is too early yet to think of his sit
ting up in bed or of any other marked
use of his muscles.
VIII lie Allowed to Eat.
A most important development of
the day was the private determination
reached among those in charge of the
case that food should be administered
TO the patient to-day by the mouth.
Not since the shooting has a morsel
of food been given to the president by
natural means, but the drain on his
system has been met by dissolved foods
administered by injection. This has
been a period of four days of fasting
from ordinary means of nourishment
and to-day will be the fifth day. The
Importance of this feeding by the
mouth is that it will restore the nor
NAL action of the stomach for the first
time since that organ had both its
walls pierced by bullet. The doctors
are satisfied that the time has come
to renew these normal functions, and
the four days which have elapsed since
the wounds in the stomach were closed
give every assurance that the sutures
are sufficiently healed to allow nature
to resume her sway.
Many Flowers.
Although the house was fairly EN-
powered with flowers Tuesday, sent as
tokens of sympathy and gratitude,
none of the sweet-scented blossoms
was taken to the presidents chamber.
The most rigid system of simplicity
prevails there, and sentiment is not
allowed to qualify the stern require
ments of the case. The only persons
admitted to the sick room Tuesday
other than the doctors and attendants
were Mrs. Mckinley and Secretary Cor
telyou. Although the president has
been pronounced out of danger, no
member of the cabinet has yet been
within the sick room, nor has the vice
president or those closest to the con-
fidence of the president, such as SEN
ator Hanna and Judge Day, seen the
president. But these restrictions es-
tablished by the doctors are merely for
the sake of encouraging every particle
of energy in the patient, and relatives
and friends alike accept the rigorous
policy as decidedly for the best. Sec
rotary Cortelyou sees the president
much as the doctors and nurses do.
There is never a breath of business,
public or private, and at no time has
there been the slightest reference to
anything connected with the presi-
dents duties.
Work of the Physicians.
The departure of DR.. McBurney led
to expressions of pleasure from those
within the household that the DELHI
erations of so many eminent doctors
had been marked with complete una
nimity. There has been no division in
the councils at any time; each has 10y
ally seconded the efforts of the others,
and all have Joined in carrying out the
mastery work done by DR.. Mann i'm
mediately following the shooting. In
referring to this one of the presidents
assistants who was present at the OPP
Grafton said DR.. Mann displayed his
consummate skill and calmness by 60
ing about the operation as if the pa
tient were a child with a slight COM
plant. And yet DR.. Mann has since
told friend that when he realized the
duty before him, although he had per-
formed hundreds of operations OF
lap0ratomy, he would have sacrificed
all he possessed to have escaped the
responsibility of operating upon the
president of the United States.
Proposed Day of Thanksgiving.
The dramatic phase of the situation
here is rapidly disappearing. Plans
overthrown by the assass;n's bullet are
being restored and matters are rapid
~ assuming normal conditions. In"
diana day at the exposition, set for
Friday of this week, was indefinitely
postponed when the president was
shot, but the original programme was
restored Tuesday at the suggestion of
Senator Fairbanks, who says such
course would not have been thought
of were there any doubt of the presi-
dents recovery. The exposition has
suffered severely in attendance since
the tragedy and the managers are now
organizing for great thanksgiving
celebration, which they expect not only
to prove a great card for the fair, but
which they hope will be made day of
national rejoicing.
Valuable Pearl Eaund