The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1902-12-13
THOMAS B. REED,

resulting from uraemic poisoning, was
Reeds illness was traceable to chronic
Bright's disease, which was brought
to the surface by an attack of appen-
dicitis Tuesday night, and which later
became acute.
Mr.. Reed came to Washington
week ago Sunday evening, after at.
tending the banquet in New York the
night before In honor of Mark Twain's
birthday. On Monday he appeared
n the supreme court to renew a mo.
tion in an admiralty case, in which
the court few weeks before had de-
clined to grant writ of certiorari.
This was his last appearance in public.
He went to his hotel and remained il
his room Tuesday. He complained of
indigestion and summoned his physi-
clans. DR.. P. A. Gardner and DR.. F.
A. Mcdonald responded and an
nounced that Mr.. Reed was suffering
from gastritis. After a consultation
the next morning they discovered evi-
dence of catarrhal appendicitis and so
diagnosed Mr.. Reeds complaint. The
serious nature of his illness was then
apparent and Mrs. Reed and Miss
Reed were notified and they hurried
to Washington.
Kidney Complications Set In.
The symptoms of appendicitis had
abated by Thursday morning, but Sc
rious kidney complications were man.
ifested and there were some signs of
uraemic poisoning. 1t was then that
DR.. w. c. Goodnow of Philadelphia,
an expert in uraemia, was summoned.
After consultation with Dr. Gardner
and Dr. Mcdonald he stated that all
was being done for Mr. Reed that
could be and recommended continual
tion of the treatment. BY this time
1t was evident that the real danger
was from uraemic poisoning and not
appendicitis, which had merely
brought to the surface an acute at
tack Of kidney trouble from which Mr..
Reed has suffered in the past. With
the appearance of uraemic acid in the
blood Mr.. Reed began to show signs
OF uraemic coma, and as early as Fri.
day he became unconscious, but per-
ceptibly improved during the day and
his mind became clear. His tempera-
ture decreased and his general condi-
tion indicated an improvement.
The physicians recognized Saturday
hight, however, that Mr.. Reeds condi-
ton was critical and they prepared
to administer oxygen gas and saline
fnfusions. He became worse. The
uraemia symptoms became very
marked about o'clock, at which time
he was given saline injection for the
purpose OF stimulating the kidneys to
action. A second injection was given
within an hour. and during the day oxy.
gen gas was constantly administered.
He continued to grow worse during
the afternoon and about o'clock two
more transfusions of salt were given,
making in all about three quarts that
was administered during the day.
| His heart became weaker and weak
er, Notwithstanding the treatment, and
1t was at this hour that the physicians
told Mrs. Reed that they feared that
Mr.. Reed could not recover. They
summoned DR.. Goodnow by telegraph
and continued the application of oxy-
. gen gas.
Shortly after o'clock DR.. Goodnow
reached the hotel, and though Mr..
Reed was conscious at this time he
was not aware of his condition. It
was the opinion Of lne physicians that
the end was but a few hours off.
AT 10:30 the patient became uncon-
scious and this condition was imme-
diately followed by a pronounced form
of uraemic coma. The coma lasted
from II o'clock until midnight, when
Mr.. Reed. died. The usual uraemic
convulsions were absent. Mrs. Reed
and Miss Katharine Reed were at his
bedside at the time.