The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-01-12
wAsHINGT0N's LAST ILL
NESS.
The Medical Treatment of That Day IL
Illustrated In Ills Case.
CDR. George X. welsh in the Medical
Record.

(Dr. George X. welsh In the Medical
Record.)
The illness and death OF Wash ington,
occurring so near tn 9 close Of the last
century, caused by an acute disease de-
manding energetic and intelligent treat
ment, as well as the great prominence Of
the patient, naturally attract attention.
ns the management Of his case affords an
example OF this most approved treatment
OF that day. From the popular record
OF his illuess In Irving's Life" IL
would appear that he died from laryngeal
diphtheria after an illness of about one
day, and that the principal treatment
was large and repeated blood-l3tting ana
eternal applications, and that the symp-
toms steadily increased until death. Dr.
Craik, the attending physician, perhaps
naturally Affected and unnerved BY the
prominence Of his patient, seems to have
done little. At his second call Ito qhotet
The pressed his hanu in silence, retired
from the bedside and sat by the lire, ABB
sorbed In grief.' DIR. Dick, the consult
Ing physician. was made OF sternsr stutf
and although he apparently held his
peace for eight years, he then wrote let
ter 20 a medical journal, in which he
speaks very frankly of the treatment
pursued by the attending physician,
states that the disease was manifestly
Fastening to fatal termination, and
that he (Dr. Dlck) strenuously recon-
mended traoheotomy. He snys further
Ito quote): "At first had reason to Hat
ter myself that had obtained the eonour-
renee OF the other physicians, and was
about TO maks preparations to Garry the
measure into immediate execution, when
l was rendered unhappy by discovering
that DIR. Brown had availed himself OF
hea fawry Inn foc If my a
unfavorably on the nina OF Dr. Craik,
whose assent was unable to reclai m,
by either argument or entreaty. Both OF
these gentlemen were advanced In years
and had each acquired considerable
share OF reputation ir his profession; hut
that increased timidity, which is, per
haps, a common attendant on old age,
seemed not only to have extinguiahed all
ardor In pursuit OF additional celebrity,
but also TO have created determination
tn hazard no part OF that stock which
had already been acquired i
know not what might have been the re-
suit but / shall never cease TO
Q ,ret that the operation WAS not per
formed. In this awful and affecting
state OF things the lancet was once more
rssorted tor
Thia was published about eight years
after Washington death; but DIR. Dick
In 1861 SIS ms with the other physicians
which no mention Is made of tracheo-
tony, 1t is somewhat long to quote In
tull, but quite interesting:
''Some time on Friday, the night oil
Dso. IS, Gen. Washington was attacked
with an inilammatory affection OF the
upper part OF the windpipe called In tech
meal lang uage oynanche tracheaiis, This
disease commenced with violent Rgue
accompanied with some pain In the up
per and fore part or the throat. sense
CT structure, cough and difficult,
rather than q painful deglutitiun. The
necessity OF blood-letting suggested Itself
TO the General, and he procured bleeder
In the neigh borhood, who took from his
arm in the night twelve or fourteen
ounces OF blood. He would not by any
means be prevailed upon by the family
to send for the attending physician until
/ hi, following morning, who arrived at
Mount Vernon about IL o'clock on Satur-
day. Discovering the cass to be highly
alarming, and roreseeing the fatal ten
dency OF the disease, two consulting phy
sioians were Immediately sent for.
''In the interim were employed two
copious bleedinga, blister WAS applied
to the part affected, two moderate doses
of oalomel were given, and an Injection
WAS administered, which opei ted on the
lower intestines, but all without any per
ceptible advantage, the respiration he
c ominR still more diffioult and distress
ing. Upon the arrival OF the first OF the
consulting physicians 1t was agreed that
as yet there were no signs of accumula-
ton In the bronchial vessels OF the lungs
to try the result of another bleeding.
When about thirty-two ounces Of blood
were drawn without the SMALLEST appar-
emit alienation of the disease, vapors OF
vinegar and water were frequently In
hailed, ten grains OF caloinel were given,
succeeded by repeated doses Of emetic
to afnnnnffT0 all IN five
grains, with NO other effect than cops
Gus discharge from the bowels. The
powers of life were now manifestly yield
ing TO the force of the disorder, respira
ton grew more and more contracted and
impei feet, till half mast IL o'clock on Sat
urday night, when, retaining the fun
possession of his intellect, he expired
without struggle.
Several hours before his decease, after
repeated efforts to be- understood, hs sue
ceeded In expressing desire that he
might be permitted TO die without inter
ruption. (signedl JAMES CRAlk,
ELISHA @. DICK,
Consulting Physician.
The treatment therefore, Of an old man,
sick with a disease very exhausting to
vitality, and SO severe that the Illness
lasted but twenty-four honrs, consisted
In the abstraction OF between two and
OF about gr. Xxx, of oalomel and or. vi.
Of tartar enletio, an injection, with ex-
ternal applications Of q blister-and a
pressure OF the hand, This treatment
Tn a we'll man in 80 short
a time would go far toward preparing
him for his last journey.
The repeated regretful statements of the
physicians that they noted no benefit
from their treatment. with continual
repetition CT the unsatisfactory means of
cure already employed, and their appar-
emit inability to suggest others, ami the
last request Of Gen. Washington that he
might be allowed to Idle without inter
rupticn," have their pathetic side.
Brandy was surely in common use at the
time, and no doubt "fn the house"
Peruvian bark, iron, and digitalls were
" eIl-kncwn drugs In the materiR medica
cf 1870, but there IL no record Of their
use. The almshouse TatienE of today
has more rational treatment than the ex
President Of the United States had in