Evening star., 1903-07-16
DEATH NEAR THE POPE
His Prophecy of Death Today
Unfulflled.
PASSING SLOWLY AWAY
DOCTORS UNDECIDED AS TO
OPERATION ON PLEURA.
Patient Complained Of Pain on Chest
and Told Valet His Task Would
Soon Be Over.
SLOWLY AWAY

ROME, July 16-The popes condition to-
day again assumed a grave aspect. Besides
the continuance of the pontiff's extreme
weakness the doctors indicated the ominous
prospect of another operation for the re-
moval of the pleurc liquid.
The pope continued restless. but had sew
eral periods of comparative ease During
one OF these he gave another evidence of
his remarkable vitality by taking holy COM
munlon during the celebration of mass in
honor OF the Madonna of the Carmelites.
Took Holy Communion.
The ceremony was held in the chapel ad-
joining the sick room. the doors being open
1t was pathetically solemn event as. by
the pope's request. those participating. be-
sides DR.. Lapponi and Pho Centra. included
a number of his trusted domestics five
sweepers and two porters
The doctors are unable to announce def
ihtely when the next operation will be per-
formed. They fear ii may become necessary
TINS evening or tomorrow morning. but they
are determined to defer II until IL is i'm
perative, fearing that the enfeebled condi-
ton of the patient may be taxed beyond
the final limit.
Toward noon the pontiff pped or into
an uneasy sleep
Today being the festival OF Inc Carmelite
Madonna and because of Pope Leo's par
ueNotlon 10 thlS madonna. SpeCial
prayers on behalf of his holiness were of
fered in all the churches after the celebra-
ton of mass.
The pontiffs own prediction that his
oeath. If 1T were to result from his present
illness. would occur today is recalled with
emotion.
"Your Task is Nearly Done"
Early this morning his holiness awoke and
Immediately began repeating prayers to the
m a1xi
his valet, Contra, hurried from an adioin-
ing room. Pope Leo hearing Centra's s voice.
said
All, Pho, your task is nearly done To-
day is the fete of the Carmelite Madonna"
Still later. with the same idea in mind the
pope asked for one of his private secre-
taries, Mgr. Marzolini, to have him nav
mass in the chapel next to his bed room.
with the door between the two apartments
open In the middle Of the mass Pope Leo
received the communion like one who really
saw visions of coming bliss
A Very Bad Night.
ROME, July 16-When DR. Mazzoni yis-
ited the pontfn this morning the latter said
the past night had been one of the worst
he had experienced. He spoke of the op-
preston on his chest: the difficulty in
breathing and the uncomfortable restless
ness giving him, in fact no peace in any
position.
DR.. Lapponi said the pope had called for
him very often during the night taking
frequent restoratives, especially meat
broth. orangeaGe and tamarind water He
felt better. however. after the celebration
of mass, as though the communion had
calmed him. In fact, the doctors proceeded
with a thorough examination of his thorax
without fauguing him too much.
Liquid in the Pleura
They found the liquid In the pleura aug
mented, but not gathered I'm such quantity
as to endanger the patients life by pro-
ducing pressure on the heart or through
asphyXia, which might occur II there
were pressure on the lower part of the
bronchial tubes
On account OF the extreme weakness of
the pontn no new operation for extract
ing the liquid will be performed until IL is
absolutely Indispensable
But the operation might he made to-
night or tomorrow independent of the fact
that liquid in its present quantity does
not imminently threaten the popes life.
A Serious Operation.
The doctors hesitate to again perform
thoracooentesis drainage of the pleura).
fearing that the effect of the operation
itself, involving the possibility of pressure
on the lungs. and consequently of the whole
apparatus of circulation, might be fatal
The secretion of urine has slightly aug
mented in the last tweHtyfour hours hay
ing reached 30 cubic centimeters. 1t is,
however. still greatly insufficient.
The doctors have received many con
gratulationS from medical authorities. with
most of whom they are not acquainted. on
their Uea tment of the pontif. Among
these is a letter TO DR.. Lapponi from Prof.
Henri Huchard, member OF the Academy
of Medicine at Paris.