The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-07
DEATHS SHADOW
FALLS0VER LEO
The Last Great Change Seems Close at Hand,
Though the Pontiff May Live Through
the Night.

with him, and then the Pontiff received
his secretaries. Monsignore Angel and
Marzolini, conversing with them regard
ing personal affairs, instructing them
about his writings and giving directions
| as to the disposal of his books
| Over five hundred kilograms expressing
sympathy with the Pope or asking for
news of his condition arrived at the Vati-
can to-day. including messages from
President Roosevelt, King Edward and
Emperor Francis Joseph
| Cardinal Di Santo Stefano, the dean Of
the Sacred College, who established him.
self in rooms in the Vatican above the
Pope's apartments, had long conference
with his secretaries today and gave or
ders that various documents connected
with the election of a new Pope be con-
veyed to the Vatican.
AN INTERVIEW WITH LAPONNI.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press interviewed DR.. Laponni during his
brief absence from the Vatican today. 1t
was easy to read in the pale face the signs
of anxious days and nights spent watch
ing his august patient. while his words
proved Enthusiastically how deep an affec-
tion he bears for Pope Leo.
Unfortunately" said DIR. Laponni, "I
cannot give you any cal news can't
share the optism which is spreading today
The truth is that the Pontiff's condition is
stationary which means that it is very
grave.
Il will go. as far as to say that al
though he may live for several days il
would be cherishing an illusion 70 think
ne may recover unless some iforseen
crisis occurs.
His pulse has become, to us medical
term, evanesscent, which means almost in-
perceptible. The Pope, except during
short periods of uneasiness, when his
cough is troublesome, is generally bright
and In good spirits and displays great
force of character.
What surprises all who approach him
IS that there has been no change in the
lucidity of his intelligence, which disease
has not affected. For instance, not a
single detail of the ceremony of the last
communion escaped the Pope's observa-
ton. He spoke of it with great interest.
recalling each parsonage who participated.
The worst symptom, apart from the
feebleness of the Pontiff's pulse, is his
low temperature, which is stationary at
take nourishment at short intervals. but
not in such quantities as his weakness
requires or his doctors wish. Nothing
medical science can suggest and his or
ganism can stand has been left untried.
for instance oxygen, cutaneous revulsives,
digitalis and caffeine, which have also
been injected, to produce more rapid effect.
The disease. as announced in the first
bulletin. Is senile pneumonia, in torpid
form. which is now at its maximum in
tensity, but which may have been unob-
served before the Pope complained of any
feeling of illness
THE PONTIFF GROWS WORSE.
1915 p. m.-Towards evening the Pope
grew worse and the news spreading to
gether with the tone of the last bulletin
caused considerable alarm. The Associated
Press correspondent saw DIR. Mazzoni.
who repeated in substance what DR.. La
ponni said today, adding that tonight it
was necessary to keep up the Pontiff's
strength through artificia respiration.
The doctors do not believe, as some pre-
dict, that catastrophe will occur during
the night. and DR.. Mazzoni expressed the
opinion that Pope Leo might live perhaps
two days. without excluding the hypothesis
of possible ultimate recovery.
The Pontiff made eager enquiries as
to what communications have been re-
celved at the Vatican from foreign rulers
and was extremely pleased to learn that
M Nisard, the French ambassador to the
Vatican, had. in spite of the strained
relations between the French republic
end the Holy See, called daily during
the Pontiff's illness and had expressed to
Cardinal Rampolla the concern of the
French government as well as that of
President Loubet.
On hearing that the Austrian ambassa-