Evening journal., 1903-07-08
LIFE IS
NEAR AN END
CONTINUED From FIRST pageJ.

causes OF his iuness. Il woaia ui.. -
know" he said, IRON what IL comce.
think l have always followed DR.. Lap.
poni's advice"
mot always, your holiness" replied
Lapponi gently
well" retorted Pope Leo. you
could not expect to remedy my old
age"
The happy and cheerful expressions
of the pontitf at the moment when he
was in the very shadow Of death as.
tonished the doctors. The pope him.
relf seems to glory in his ability to
present a calm and bright demeanor,
md particularly asked the doctors TO
tell people about the state of his mind.
Accordingly the doctors have freely
discussed the cheerfulness Of the ven
cradle patient repeating the details OF
his quick sallies as showing the ac.
tivity of HIS mind.
Dr. Mazzoni. assisted by Dr. Lap
poni's son, who is also a physician. fin
ished the analysis of the liquid ex-
tracted from the pope's pleura. The
color is orange red, and 1t is prevalent
ly composed of blood with coagulated
ilbrine without pus. What is feared
is a reproduction Of serum in the
pleura, in which case the operation
will be repeated in about two days.
DR.. Mazzoni has been besieged by
relatives and friends OF the pope and
by journalists, inquiring as to the re-
suit OF the operation and his prOgnosis
of his disease. lie said:
when one considers that the pope
should be dead by this time the unex-
pected may happen and there is still
hope. His resisting so long and main
tanning perfect lucidity of mind means
that Notwithstanding the pneumonia,
the affection of the kidneys and the
difficulty of breathing. there is no pois-
oning OF the blood. Between being at
the point of death and returning to
what his holiness is there is certainly
such a difference as to permit the most
optimistic views. To properly under
stand the change which has taken
place It must be considered that Mon
day the conviction was so sure that he
would die during the night that not
withstanding the contrary opinion of
Or. Lapponi, those surrounding the
pope insisted on having extreme unc-
tion administered. Evil tongues even
ins!nuate that some members of Pope
Leo's immediate circle counted on the
bad effects that such q function was
likely to produce on weakened organ
ism, but the pope resisted splendidly.
Indeed, he seems to have acquired
fresh strength ! don't dare to say any
thing positive It is very easy to be
deceived. especially in the presence Of
such marvellous resistance. ] merely
/ venture the impression that there is q
probability that the pope will die but
do not believe death will occur yet"
Much significance Is attached to an
extended visit made by Cardinal Gotti,
prefect of the propaganda, to the sick
ROOM from which other conspicuous
members of the Sacred College are ex-
cluded by the doctors orders. Car
dinal Gotti's interview lasted 20 min
utes. even the doctors and attendants
withdrawing and leaving him alone
with the pope This has naturally
opened a wide field of speculation. 1t
is even asserted on the authority of
one cardinal that Pope Leo expressed
the hope that in the event of the sue
cession falling on Cardinal Gotti he
might have the strength TO take up
and carry forward the great work thus
confided to him. Just what passed
between the pontiff and Cardinal Gotti
only they knew. but certainly the cir
cumstances and length of the visit
strongly support the view that the
pope was giving his attention to the
administration of the affairs of the
church when he himself has passed
awav