Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-06-25
SORROW AI THE CAPITAL
Officials at Washington Startled
at the Serious Illness of
Edward VII.
Bulletins Regarding the Kings
Condition Watched With In
tense Interest.
President Roosevelt Cables Sym.
pathy After Receiving Reds
Formal Report.

| Washington, June 25-News of the
serious illness of King Edward and the
| indefinite postponement of his corona
ton was received with absorbing inter-
est here in Washington.
| Most of the members c,f the diplomats
lie corps had started fol. their summer
vacations, but at the capitol, at the
white house, and thru all the great de-
13artments business was; suspended for
the time being.
During the period following the first
announcement and before the result of
and his advisers were greatly disturbed
over the situation, and at the capitol
the members and senators abandoned
committee meetings to rush to the tele-
phone and telegraph instruments for
the latest news. -
There have been frequent intimations
| here thru diplomatic sources, that King
| Edward was not in good health, hut
these intimations concerned his prob
able length of life and 40 one supposed
until recently that he was suffering
from any disorder.
The surgeon generals of the war and
navy departments. the scientific men
at the army and navy medical museum,
and more particularly Surgeon General
Wyman's office of the marine hospital
service, We're inundated with inquiries
and We're forced to detail clerks to he
telephone.
The use of the new word in the bulFe-
tin defining the kings illness staggered
people generally, and they We're not at
all treasured when it was discovered
that the new word was even more fat
alistic than the familiar old appendi-
citis.
The medical men when appealed to
explained readily that perityphlitis is
an Inflammation of the tissues sur
rounding the vermiforln appendix, and
hence is considerably more dangerous
than the usual trouble in the appendix
itself, because the extent of the abscess
and the consequent danger from blood
poisoning is always a matter of con-
lecture.
4 LIE Two ulStdSeS are, VI course,
the same thing, but perityphlitis is
more likely to include the ordinary ;tp-
pendicitis and in addition to involve The
dangers of a serious abscess in The
surrounding tissues.
Many of the medical men explained
that the removal of the abscess was
probably Immediately necessary, and
they expressed the opinion quite gem
orally that the kings condition was APP
parently entirely favorable because at
a time twelve hours after the operation
he was apparently resting easily, had
recovered from the shock, had thrown
off the effect of the anaesthetic, and at
ter that length of time mad not shown
any symptoms of severe blood poison
ing.
Taken altogether. therefore, the bull
letins were interpreted as favorable,
altho the earlier official advces were
so gloomy that 1t was deemed best
not to give them to the public.
President Roosevelt was deeply and
genuinely affected. He sought eagerly
for all the news which could be given
to him and in particular asked for ex-
pert opinion from nearly all the ned
ical officers OF the government regard
ing the probability of speedy reoov-
cry. He was informed that under the
most favorable circumstances it would
take the king thirty days to recover
fully from such an operation and as
much more time would be required in
which to build up his system sufficient
ly to stand the nervous and physical
strain inevitable to the ceremonies of
the coronation.
The medical men privately expressed
the opinion that if the king can get
along reasonably we'll for about three
days be will be practically out of dan.
ger. 1t was said that while his age
was against him his mode of life OF
late had been better than that of most
rushing business men in this country
1t was intimated that he probably ate
regularly and that the inevitable ETH
ouette of the court hedged him about
in such way that his daily life was
probably extremely well ordered and
he was therefore in fairly good CON
dition so far as his general system
was concerned.
President Roosevelt's anxiety CON
tinued all thru the afternoon, but just
before he went away from the city he
was much encouraged over the out
look and sent this personal message
which was cabled to Buckingham pal
ace:
ITO his majesty, Edward VII, Lon
don: 1 ask your majesty to accept
my sincere assurance of sympathy and
wishes for speedy convalescence
Theodore Roosevelt"
Official news of the kings serious
condition was conveyed to the state
department in a long cable dispatch
from Whitelaw Reid, special amoas-
sador from the United States to tho
coronation. The text of the dispatch
was at once carried to the president
by Assistant Secretary Hill. The text
was withheld from publication for OBJ
vious reasons, because it had been pre-
pared hurriedly, and it was evident that
the king would soon be out of i'm
mediate danger or be at the threshold
of death itself.