The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-25
SICK FOR A WEEK
King Has Really Been Seriously Ill
Since June ID.
EFFORT TO POSTPONE COLLAPSE
Old Prophecy That He Would :'Reign
but Never Be Crowned" Wor-
ries the King Much.
Few York SUN spseia, ss-vsos


London, June 25.-It may as we'll be
stated openly now the fact, which has
been known for several days past, that
the king has been critically i'll for more
than a week. This melancholy truth has
probably been evident to those who read
between the lines of the dispatches,
which have been sent since Saturday. 1t
was thought only courteous to the Eng
1ish people to discredit this sad inferma-
ton as long as possibility remained
that Thursdays great ceremony could
take place The following is an anthem
tic account Of the origin of the attack:
Attacked June Il.
The king had been in fairly good health
and spirits until June IA. He was tired
from the continuous round Of functions
and extremely nervous over the many
weeks of bad weather, which had spoiled
many of his plans. King Edward, IN
truth, is very superstitious man, and
the idea possessed him that he was an
unlueky king, and that the ola phrase,
"queens weather. would give place to
the reign of edward the Rainy" Sir
Francis Laking, who had been paying
close attention to his majesty for seVeral
days, feared that this superst1tlous nerV-
BUSINESS was a symptom of POSSIBLE nerv-
Gus collapse. He therefore warned. the
king not to under-=ke the arduous pro-
gram at Aldershot IN June Is and Is. but
to rest in preparation for the great
strain of this wee:; The king, however
persisted in sticking to the program,
and moreover. insisted on close personal
supervision of all the details of the cor
nnation.
Collapse in Mind and Body.
It was this interference that wore out
the endurance Of Lord Darlington, the
lord chamberlain, and caused him to re-
49, L. IoS, n
shot soon after the kings arrival on
June a. This completed the royal dis
comtiture There followed what is de-
scribed as fainting fit. The king sim
ply collapsed suddenly in mind and oody.
He soon rallied and, in describing MS
sensations to the doctor VINO was hlsI
summoned, said: 81 felt as if two heavy
hands had suddenly been placed on my
shoulders and crushed me down. Ihere
was also slight chill and a sharp at
tack of cholera morbus. That was on
Saturday. and the king was put 10 pea
and remained there until Monday wnen
he was considered better, and was taken
In carriage to Windsor
A Light Stroke of Paralysis.
The system of twitching of the muscles
Of the face alarmed Sir Francis Laklns'
and Sir Thomas Barlow, the English Spe-
eialist in parlyic affections. was sum
light stroke of paralysis on iuesoay
afternoon really very slight but the
natient was very weak physically ana
rather dull mentally. Sir Thomas Bar
low remained with the king every moment
when he was within doors, and IN MS
brief drives In closed carriage.
II became serious problem how TO
control his majesty's mental condition,
for the conviction seized the king that he
was fated never to wear the BLUSH
crown; in OF her words, that the prophecy
would be fulfilled that he would reign,
but would never be crowned, he lnces-
sanity studied his own symptoms insisted
that the doctors frequently take his tenn
perature and brooded in state OF low
despair over his condition Nevertheless,
he gained strength after Wednesday, and
by careful dieting the doctors hoped he
would be able to undergo Thursdays cere-
mony, provide all intervening engage
ments were cancelled.
Operation to Save Life.
1t was really against the physicians ad-
vice that the king returned to London
Monday. His reason for insisting was
that such a radical change in the plans
would cause alarm among the people.
Not a word had been printed in any paper
in England to the effect that his illness
was in the slightest degree serious. On
the other hand all of the kings entour-
age had calmly and fatty denied that his
condition was anything but good. 1t was
the excitement of Mondays great popular
welcome, as much as anything, which
caused revival of the serious abdominal
trouble. The cholera morbus sympt oms
had we'll nigh disappeared, but there re-
NAMED sufficient weakness or irritation
10 set up Inflammation of the vermiform
appendix.
Feared to Alarm People.
A consultation was speedily held and it
was quickly decided that the coronation
ceremony could not take place at present
and that prompt operation was the only
course available to save the kings life.
This decision was acted on with the ut
most speed. The public was notified Of
the postponement. the announcement Of
which fell on the city like bolt from
the blue sky, and the necessary para
phernalia for the operation were quickly
requisitioned from the nearest hospital
The statements as to the driving exer-
eises taken by the king, it is now be-
1ieved, were. without foundation. The
king necessarily remained in his room
the greater part of last week and was
att ended by his physicians.