The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-11

not give assurance OF his recovery col
lectvely over their official signatures in an
official bulletin. but they went long way
toward IL. individually and separately, dur
ing the day. Each of them, with the excep-
ton of DR.. Rixey. who did not leave the
Milburn residence, placed himself squarely
on record. not privately to the friends of
the President, but publicly through the
agency of the press. that the danger point
had passed. and that the President would
survive the attempt upon his life.
week has passed." said DR.. McBurney, the
dean of the corps. I'VE would like TO see
every door locked and double locked, but
the danger from possible complications is
now very remote AS an evidence of the
supreme faith he holds DR.. McBurney, after
the morning consultation. made trip to
Niagara Falls, and this evening announced
he would return to New York. He could
reach here again in ten hours If the unex-
pected should happen and there should be
a change for the worse.
The little piece of lead in the muscles of
the back is giving the physicians no con-
Germ whatever. Unless it should prove
troublesome to the President later on, he
will probably carry this grim souvenir of
the Anarchist with him to the end of his
days. The doctors say that once encysted,
1T can do no harm. The X-ray machine is
ready for instant use, however. and If
there is the slightest Inflammation or pain
in the vicinity of the bullet, an operation
will be performed.
EXODUS OF FRIENDS.
The Vice President, members of the Cabi-
net, Senator Hanna and the other distin-
guished friends of the President who have
remained here to await the issue, accepted
the verdict of the physicians to-day as
practically conclusive. and there was an
exodus of those who considered their pres
Roosevelt left this evening for his home
at Oyster Bay; Senator Hanna returned
to Cleveland on business, to be gone two
days, and Controller Dawes went back to
Washington tonight. Abner Mckinley, the
Presidents brother, will remain few days
longer, but his family have returned home,
and Mrs. Duncan and several other rela-
tves of the President have gone. Judge
Day, long and closely associated with the
President, returned to Canton this after
noon. The five members of the Cabinet
still here will remain a few days, rather as
friends who have been intimately associated
with the President for several years, than
as public officials.
The Presidents physicians have been i'm
pressed with his remarkable recuperative
powers and the rapidity of his improve
ment Ordinarily an incision 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 Presidents Improvement were appar-
ent. The President himself began to show
confidence in his ability to care for him
self and from time to time he would care
fully turn himself TO get a more restful
position. Yesterday he took the precaution
to ask if he might be permitted to move,
but to-day he changed his position on his
own volition, without difficulty. The nurses
naturally observed with care these evil
dences of growing strength and courage,
and were ready to see that there was no
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 sitting up in bed
or of any other marked use of his muscles.
FOOD TO BE GIVEN TO-DAY.
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
tomorrow by the mouth. Not since the
shooting has morsel of food been given
to the President by natural means, but the
drain his system has been met by dis
solved foods administered by injection. This
has been period of four days of fasting
from ordinary means of nourishment. and
tomorrow will be the fifth day.
The Importance of this feeding by the
mouth is that it will restore the normal
action of the stomach for the first time
since that organ had both it's walls pierced
by a 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.
Although the house was fairly embowered
with flowers to-day. sent as tokens of SYM
pathy and gratitude. none of the sweet
scented blossoms was taken to the Presi
dents chamber The most rigid system of