Evening journal., 1903-07-14
CONDITION
IS VERY GRAVE
Continued From First Page).


tioa that Or. LapDoni could give in
admitting that Pope Leos condition
was very grave" The pontin has
: suffered another relapse. and he lies
in a more critical condition than at
any time since the middle Of last
week. The semi-comatose condition
into which he fell at midnight and
the confused state of his heretofore
lucid mind on his awakening at an
early hour this morning. accompanied
by still greater depression than dur
Ing yesterday, are regarded as symp-
toms Of the gravest nature and as
pointing to an imminent dissolution.
Shortly before midnight the pontin
fell into state of unconsciousness-
half sleep, half coma. He was very
restless. The heat of the body was
high for the patients organism and
appears to be feverish. The pope
called out several times in his sleep
and then awoke, showing great signs
of depression and with his ideas some
what confused
At 4.30 this morning DIR. Lapponi
succeeded in terminating the pope
with stimulants. He also gave him
a little nourishment The patients
breathing is again difficult He says
he feels very tired.
Even In the early evening medical
opinion was less pessimistic, and DR..
Mazzoni thought the end was not with
in sight. He expressed the belief that
II the disease took an unexpected turn
there was no reason to apnrehend
death for two or three days. This
statement, however, did not relieve
the anxiety of those who know what
powerful stimulants are being con.
stantly administered. Some attribute
the pontffs extreme weakness to the
excessive mental and physical efforts
undertaken Sunday in receiving visi-
tors, hearing mass, etc.
Never before has the patients weak
ess progressed as it did yesterday
For the first time since his illness the
pontiff asked to have the shutters al
most closed, as the light hurt his eyes,
and at the same time, contrary to his
custom, he begged to be left as quiet
as possible. Another noteworthy
symptom of his weakening condition
was the dOcility with which he took
his medicine and nourishment. Pre-
viously, indeed, during his whole life.
Pope Leo has been against the pre-
scriptions of doctors or anything
which had the aspect of being forced
upon him. His feeling of fatigue and
Indifference was interpreted as a sign
that his vitality was fast diminishing.
Late last evening nine cardinals. in.
Gliding Satolli and Martinelli. were
admitted to the sick room, but the
pope could not even speak to them.
merely giving them his hand to kiss.
The dizziness has become pronounc-
cd and is accompanied by neeting hal
lucinations. The dizziness which the
pope suffered was a kind of mental
confusion, during which he seemed to
lose consciousness Of his surround
ings, while he believed he saw vision.
He explained afterwards that he
thought he saw an underlined shadow
moving about the room and slowly ap-
preaching his bed. whereupon the pom
tin became agitated and called his
valet, Pho Contra, saying:
"Pio, Pho. who is it? Who Is it?"
DR.. Lapponi and Centra rushed to
the patients bed, and soon succeeded
in tranquilizing him.
1t developed as the result of a care
ful medical examination that the con-
dition of the pope's kidneys is worse,
ns the component parts of the urine are
not normal. The diminution Of certain
elements leads the doctors to fear that
his system is gradually approaching a
state OF dissolution. No traces of al
bumen were found, indicating al
though the kidneys are not perform
ing their functions properly, that they
nre not themselves organically dis
eased.
DR.. Rossoni was reported to have
said in an interview: "The popes pulse
reaches 80 pulsations and over Just
calculate how many times it has pull
sated in SO years and you understand
that in his present condition all his
organs and the pulse must end by get
ting so tired that they will stop for
ever"
Pope Leo is credited with having
said
'If I am destined to die from this
illness I feel I shall expire on Thurs
day the feast day Of the Carmelite
Madonna, whom l specially worship"
This presentment is remarkable be-
cause In a certain way il comedies
with the prophecy made in the twelfth
century by St. Malachy, the bishop of
Armagh. who predicted that Pope Leo
would be succeeded by O pope SYM
bolizing the motto, "Ignes Ardens"
(burning fire).
The Carmelite Madonna is the pat
roness OF the Carmelite order, which
attributes its origin to the prophet
Elijah. who sscended to heaven in a
chariot Of fire. Besides, a member of
this order is Cardinal Gotti, who is
looked upon as the most likely sue.
cessor to the pontiicate.
At the American embassy It was
stated that no request. official or other
wise, had been received up to yester-
day for information regarding the
pope's condition. King Edward has In
structed the British ambassador. Sir
Charles Bertie. TO telegraph twice daily