The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-13
A NOTE OF ALARM
A BAD STRAIN IN NEWS FROM
PRESIDENTS BEDSIDE.
PULSE WAS MUCH TOO HIGH
GOOD CHEER IN BUFFALO CHANG
ED TO DEsPONDENCY.

Another Physician, DIR. Stockton, Call
ed Into COnsultation-NOuri
Given the President Did Not Agree
With Him-COmplained of Being
Tired Through the Day-Believed
the Presidents Health VIII Be
Better This Morning-He Has Stin
More Than an Even Chance of Re-
cOvery-Physician Are still Hope
full.
Milburn House, Buffalo, Sept. 12.-
For the first time there was a bad
strain in the news from the Presi-
dents bedside tonight. Possibly the
alarm it caused was exaggerated, but
that genuine apprehension existed,
there can be no question. Tomorrow
morning will probably show what COM
plication has arisen.
Food given to the President this
morning has not been properly assimi-
lated and passed, and the administra-
ton of food by the mouth has been
discontinued. The President continued
to complain of the fatigue, noted by
the official bulletin in the afternoon.
His pulse increased to 1928. This is
considered entirely too high for his
temperature.
One of the consulting physicians said
that, judged by medical records, his
pulse should be SO. The acceleration of
the pulse was attributed partly to the
revulsion of the stomach against the
food, and DR.. Mann privately assured
Secretaries Hitchcock and Wilson. the
Presidents brother, Abner Mckinley,
and others assembled below stairs in
the Milburn house o-night that the un-
digested food would probably pass
away during the night and that the
President would be better in the morn
ing.
Condition Was Not So Good.
sultation earlier than usual and they
frankly announced in their official bull
letin at $50 o'clock that the Presi-
dents condition was not so good. They
are standing firmly by their resolution
and promise to keep the public fully ad-
sick room. Drs. Wasdin, Stockton and
Rixey remained in the sick room
throughout the night, and those who
left after the early evening consulta-
ton, contrary to their usual custom,
slipped away to the side entrance.
This in itself was considered signifi-
cant. to say the least, by the little
IF
they have not failed to give verbal in
depreciation of the official bulletins to
the newspaper men.
DR.. Stockton, a local general practi-
toner with a high reputation, was
called in for the first time tonight, it
being explained that the complication
that had arisen was one with which
physician and not a surgeon would
have to deal. Secretaries Wilson and
Hitchcock, who were at the Milburn
residence until IL o'clock, said when
they departed that there was no cause
for alarm, that the trouble was in the
stomach. and not in the wound, and
they believed the Presidents condition
would be improved in the morning.
Drs. Wasdin. Rixey and Stockton re-
mained at the Milburn house during
the night and were constantly in the
room of the President. For hours the
President failed to respond to the
treatment to which he was subjected
to relieve him of the difficulty occa-
stoned by the failure of the organs of
digestion and assimilation. The nom
success of the treatment added to the
depression that existed, but just at
midnight the relief so much desired
came. This gave great encouragement
and changd the character of the bulle-
tin which the physicians We're even
then preparing. In it they announced
that all unfavorable symptoms had i'm
proved since the last bulletin. The
decreased rapidity of the pulse from
12S to 120 which followed the bowel
movement, was also exceedingly graft
flying.
The physicians are really alarmed
about the Presidents heart. Still, the
pulse remained much higher than it
should be with the temperature at
1902. The normal pulse for that tenn
perature is about 96.
shows Signs of Fatigue.
Six days have now elapsed since the
President was shot. and this afternoon
he complained somewhat of fatigue.
The President had had a restful night
and the beef juice which the doctors
gave him yesterday had been relished
so keenly this morning that he was
given solid food for the first time. He
was bathed and then enjoyed break
fast Of chicken broth, toast and cof-
fee. He felt so good after this some
what substantial meal that he asked
for a mild cigar.
DR.. McBurney, dean of the corps of
attending physicians and surgeons,
was thoroughly satisfied with the pa
tents condition. and went to New
York at / O'Clock to look after some
urgent private affairs. His intention is
to return in a few days. Meantime he
will keep in constant touch with the
Milburn House, and can come back at
a moments notice. Secretary Root also
left on the same train. A slight re-
action, however. followed the buoyancy
of the morning. The President COM
plained of being tired. The attending
physicians. at the afternoon consulta-
ton. true to their promise to take the
pul,iic into their confidence, chronicled
this fact with scrupulous care, but they
displayed no alarm. The doctors said