Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-20
ALMOST AT END.
Continued from page IL

| AAOih PeoS
! asdinst the Vatican until it was IKE d
| merry furnace. This seriously added 10
the discomfort of the patient. he mad
spent restless night, sleeping only iof
! SNORT periods of time. DR.. Lapponl re-
manned in the sick room throughout tne
night.
Al the morning conference the phy-
siclans notified distinct change 1or
the worse, particularly in the accelerat-
eo pulse, which had risen to IS after
being from IS to 90 for many days. The
aistlngpished patient appeared to haVe
iost all of that vitality which he mas
hitherto so remarkably maintained He
appealed piteously to those about MN
asking not to be left alone Although
ms mental vigor was nearly exlelrs ed
ne again asked that mass be celebrated.
inns was performed in the room ad-
joining that in which the Pontiff lay.
he followed the ceremony and took
communion with extreme difficulty.
Almost Immediately he sank into a
state Of complete exhaustion. At first
| TINS took on the character of an I'M
natural sleep and he lay as one inanl-
mate. But occasionally he started up
and cried out as if in fear. Gradually,
however, sleep became heavier and the
Fontif assumed condition OF semi
cont1ousneSs. After MONDAY there was
Il little revival from this continued state
of torpor.
Inc doctors remained continuously IN
attendance. Their night bulletin an
nounced for the first time that their
patient had been in n state of coma,
which they, said had been almost I'M
interrupted during the day. How long
this condition would continue, they did
not venture to say. AS DR.. Lapponl
came from the sick room, at O'Clock
this evening, for a breath of fresh air,
he summed up the steady decline i'll
the Pope'S condition by saying: THE
Pope's condition is worse than this
morning or last night, and while the.
end may come at any moment. yet an
imminent catastrophe is hardly anticl-
pated, as the state of coma may be pro-
longed for many hours" 30.
Meantime the condition of the Pom
tiff has caused intense excitement
throughout the city. When the patient
sank into a state of coma, the physi-
ty of his condition to Cardinal Ram
Polla, who. in turn, advised the cav
dinals Of the Sacred College. Twice
rumors of the death of the Pontiff gain
ed circulation The cardinals and
diplomats upon their arrival were in
formed of the gravity of the situation,
but many of them left when the rumors
of the death of the Pope We're found
untrue.
The condition of coma grew less pro-
found shortly after sunset and Cardl-
nal Wives Y Tuto and Monsignor PIT
fert, the Popes confessor, We're called
into the sick room. When they began
to repeat Latin prayers the familiar
sound Of the language which Leo XIII
loved so we'll penetrated to his couch
and he reused from his stupor and
showed signs of consciousness. Cardi-
nal Wives y Tuto took advantage of the
opportunity to approach the bed and
tell the Pontiff that some cardinals
We're in the ante-chamber.
Il, myself said he, ,'desire to. have
your benediction.'
The Pope with a great effort. raised
a trembling hand and in almost inaudi-
BILE voice between long pauses, gave the
cardinal the Pontifical blessing. The
effort, however, appeared to have been
too much for him and he sank into I'M
consciousness.
Towards night the reports from the
sick room continued to be of the grav-
est character Cardinal Della Volpe
coming from the Vatican, said he has
held a brief conversation with DR.. Lap
poni and that the latter had made the
following statement:
IF nothing new happens the patient
may live until tomorrow morning, per-
haps until evening, that is, "a hours
longer. But beyond this his survival is
impossible"
Following the departure of the car
dinals number of carriages were sta
| toned in the court yard of San Damaso
| in readiness to bring the cardinals to
| the Vatican when the catastrophe
seemed imminent