Evening star., 1901-09-13
TOOK SOLID FOOD
President Ate Some Toast and Drank
Cup of Coffee.
HE HAS 4 GOOD APPETITE
Doctors Gratified at His Continued
Rapid Improvement.
TE ST OF HIS BLOOD

| September PA steady downpour of rain
made gloomy and miserable morning
| about the Milburn house. The sentries, in
| their rubber coats, ploGded their beats over
| the sodden lawns, beneath dripping trees,
| and the roof ct every tent in the little camp
| on the corner made miniature Niagara
| No crowds hung over the rope barriers.
! and the policemen on guard stood dripping
| monuments of the laws watchfulness But
| If it was dark and cheerless out of doors,
| not SO inside Milburn house. There an
| air of serenity, hope, and, above all, Of
| great thankfulness. prevailed. The Presi-
| dent had experienced a good night, and
| only one doctor had remained with him.
! Early in the morning this attendant, DR..
| Rixey, had sent out word to the anxious
watchers in the press tents that the Pres
ident's condition was entirely satisfactory.
The best news, however, came about 9::0
a. m, after the morning consultation of the
physicians had been held. DR.. Mynter was
| the first doctor out. and said the President
| had taken some solid food A shout of de-
| light went up from the little group Of
| newspaper men to whom the information
was communicated. A bit Of toast and
some coffee furnished the Presidents
breakfast. and he seemed to relish 1t
hugely, he said.
DR.. Park then came down the walk from
| the Milburn house, with elated manner.
anu his lace HdQ OH d DTOdu SIlue- he SAID
the Presidents condition was eminently
satisfactory, and confirmed the news about
the President having been given solid food.
DR.. McBurney Talks of the Case.
DR.. McBurney remained with the Presi-
dent an hour after the other consulting ply
sicians departed this morning. When he
came out he talked freely about the case
and was in q glow of radiant spirits over
the prospects. tsThere has been large i'm
provement since last night" were his first
words 1--WE have found for one thing that
his stomach can stand a great deal of
nourishment. If. he can bear nourishment
~a don't carsh'ut anything else. So, this
morning. we hve him large cup of coffee,
big bowl of chicken broth and a piece of
toast He ate it all with evident relish He
will have a soft-boiled egg next thing.
When he finished his breakfast he asked for
a mild cigar, but told him l would do all
the smoking this morning.
THE President sighed, and then said:
Well, doctor, you will find plenty of them
down stairs"
DR.. McBurney was asked when the Presi-
well, that is largely a question of me-
chanics," he replied. He will be, from
health point of view, able to sit up long be-
fore he can mechanically do SO, on account
of that open wound.
DIR. McBurney then gave this description
Of the present condition of the wound:
Description of the Wound.
1.-The incison made in the abdomen was
about five inches long, running up and down
through the bullet wound. The surgeons
had to lay open the channel Of that wound
and cleanse it. This incision was then
sewed up its entire length. Last Tuesday
night, when we saw few signs Of angri-
ness around the bullet hole, we took out one
stitch above the puncture and one stitch be-
low it. to treat the wound. These two
stitches have been left out, and the wound
will be permitted to heal by granulation."
DIR. McBurneys today left the city, to be
absent two or three days, but will return.
He said he thought the President would be
able to sit up within four weeks.
Clouds Break Away.
About 1890 am. the weather changed,
the rain clouds blowing off before a spank
ing southwest wind that dried the miles of
asphalted streets in a jiffy. The atmos-
phere was cool and bracing and patches of
blue In the sky that appeared between the
masses of gray clouds quickly turning to
fleece prophesied glorious day coming.
After the doctors left Secretary Cortel-
YOU and his assistants put in another day
of toll over the voluminous correspondence
that is piling up. Mr.. Cortelyou attends to
official communications from the absent
heads of departments, and Is court Of last
ments for the Presidents comfort. He is
an indefatigable worker, is up at all hours
of the day and night, but remains the same
euuable gentle and courteous official who
endcared himself to every one who came in
contact with him at Washington.
Secretary Root and Postmaster General
Smith will leave Buffalo today.
Secretary Wilson and Secretary Hitch
cock will not leave until they go with The
President.
Blood Test Last Night
Two events occurred last night. One was
the "blood-count'' for the detretion Of
traces Of blood poisoning should they exist
and the other was the removal of the Pres
ident to another bed The blood test was
made by DR.. Wasdin OF the marine hos
pital service. He drew a drop Of blood
from the tips of one of the ears of the
President and placed on slide under a
microscope. The white and red corpuscles
Of the blood were then counted, their reIa-
tive number indicating the state of the
blood. DR.. Wasdin found no sign either
Of blood poisoning or peritonitis, either of
which would be readily apparent if present.
had convinced them that there was no
danger from this source, SO, Of course, they
were gratified to receive this corroborative
evidence. Another bed was brought to the
house last night and placed alongside the
one occupied by the President. 1t Is of
the same height and pattern, and the Presi-
dent Is easily lifted from one to the other.
He was bathed and put in the new bed,
after which he was given some nourish-
ment and soon was in a gentle doze.
The consulting physicians do not spend
much time in the Presidents room unless
the wound is to be dressed. They stay
only long enough to note his temperature,
pulse and respiration. Then they recede
to an adjoining room. where DR.. Rixey,
who remains in the house all the time and
practically constantly in the sick room. de-
tails the experience since the last consulta-
tion. Thereupon the physicians talk over
the situation. exchanging views and make
up the bulletin, which is written out by
DR.. Rixey and signed by all the physicians.
1t is then given to Secretary Cortelyou, who
has manifold copies made on typewriter.
These are brought over to the press tent
by Sinclair Of the household staff and dis
tributed to the correspondents.
CsOlgosx Getting Frowxy.
Czolgosz the anarchist looks and acts his
part. Being refused a razor, his face is
covered with a short growth of beard. He
does not wash and is Indifferent to his per-
sonal appearance. He eats with a vora-
cious appetite and smokes cheroots con-
stantly when he can get them Ha 10