The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-21
DREGER'S MEDIC
SIZES UP AMES
He Reports That the Doctor Is I'm
doubtedly a Very Sick
Man.
Removal Under Present Weather
Conditions Might Give Malady
Serious Turn.
He Admits That Former Mayor
Statements Should Be Taken
With Caution.

very sics ltnn has been believed by many
for come 'iae& This belief Is now
Conn of Concoref. n H., after careful
diagnosis made y, str request of Sheriff
j. w. Dreger. The 0oC tor's report to the
sheriff. forwarded to County Attorney +.
Fl. Boardman, after stating tss..t an exam
nation of DR.. Ames' condition was made
Feb. II is in substance as follows:
Objective Symptoms.
| Mr. Ames is Of sallow complexion, has
a large frame and is apparently much
emaciated. His general appearance is that
| of a feeble man. There is some oedema
about the feet and angles, some acitis
(dropsy) of the abdomen; walks in
feeble manner and cannot walk without
assistance with his eyes closed, neither
can he stand upon either foot with MS
! eyes closed. The abdomen is full and ten
der in the right side, especially in the
region of the lower border of the liver
and pyloric extremity of the stomach. At
this point there is hardness and a small
| tumorfaction which seemed to be to be
connected with the liver and the bowel
a little below the stomach.
Subjective Symptoms.
! Says his age is 81; that his weight
| about two months ago was l56 pounds;
! while six or seven years ago 1t was 20
Complains of great soreness about the alb
! domen: that he suffers from constipation
| has severe turns of vomiting every week
or ten days and that he has pus and blood
pass the bowels and sometimes Vom1ts
| blood that his appetite is poor, and he
| suffers from indigestion, also that a good
deal Of the time he gets but little sleep,
/ suffering from restlesSneSs and general
discomfort, the latter referred largely in
| the region Of the upper portion OF the
! abdomen.
."rhe history of his family as given by
| ,cix hat his 9fher
and grandmother on his fathers side died
Of cancer In the region the stomach.
| Conclusions.
'Mr. Ames is evidently i'll and the con-
| ditions which I found led me to suspect
! that Mr. .Ames himself Is suffering from
; some malignant disease in the region OF
! the stomach and this would account for
the emaciation which he claims, although
! it does not point to immediate fatal re-
suits. Such troubles interfere with di-
gestion and assimilation and cause pain,
| spasm Of the intestines and frequently
| periodic vomiting. - <sssss- -,..sss 5-s,
I .Iits mental cent' lsia1t may be consid-
| cred fairly good for a person who is so
feeble. and his ina bility to walk or stand
on one foot is the want of coordination
of muscular power, which may fairly be
considered as the result of general phys
| ical weakness. $751;.
| Il regard The abdominal trouble as
being the principal one and that the other
physical symptoms are due to general
physical weakness. Unless he should have
hemorrhage and lose considerable amount
of blood, he will probably live several
months, yet no physician would recon-
mend a man with such a trouble to take
long journeys or to try to endure any con-
siderable fatigue.
Takes Ames' Word With Caution.
You will observe that this is case in
; which a large amount Of ones knowledge
: must come directly from the patient and
his friends and is therefore suggestive ir
character. Such knowledge can, Of course
. be exaggerated by the patient or the
friends and must be received with caution
} especially where there is reason for the
; patient to make the most Of his genera
weakness. That this influences him to .
certain extent is undoubtedly true, anG
still I can say that he apparently tried
to give me in detail his symptoms in the
fairest possible manner. The eXamina.
ton lasted a little over an hour.
"If this was summer rather than winter
1t might be considered feasible with the
proper care to move him to Minnea polls
and while it may be done now without
Fastening his death, yet it would not be
considered good judgment on the part Of
physicians to recommend long journey
i as it would be expected that it would
make his trouble worse and perhaps he
would not rally so as to be as well as be
+ fore. I take it for granted that it is no
, the intention Of the authorities to cause
y him an ezra amount of physical suffering
- or in any way feel that they were respon
> sible for Fastening his DEATH ~1
- Sheriff Coming Home.
: Sheriff J. W. Dreger left Manchester
N. H.. last evening for Minneapolis. H
!, expected to remain day in Buffalo be
' fore resuming his homeward journey. TIL
purport of several kilograms, whichF h
: received just before leaving Mancheste
from Ames' bondsmen, was said to b
n the desire that Ames should be ~speedil
: returned to Minneapolis at any cost.
It Sheriff Dreger will return to New Hamp
" shire March 5 to bring his prisoner back
= the extradition papers being made serv
iceable at that time. -..,. e..
Sheriff Doane has charge of the forme
10 mayor, who is still being closely watche
- by Deputy Slleriffs Bruce and Ordway a
| the Chaplin house at Hancock. Sheri
Dreger had farewell interview wit
. Ames just before leaving.