Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-10-10
OF The
FATAL ILLNESS

y
ness which carried him away was Oh
only, about a weeks duration. He had
returned recently from a western trip
and despite a slight cold apparently
was in better physical condition than
he had been for some time previously
plunged Into Work.
He at once plunged into the work OF
his office He was at his desk at the
postoffice department last Tuesday,
where a number Of his friends spoke
! of his apparently better health He
attended the cabinet meeting that day.
He passed a restless night, however,
and although he spent Wednesday
forenoon at his office, showed that he
was feeling badly. ..
Took to His Bed.
Stopping at the white house on his
way, he returned to his hotel fol
luncheon and felt SO i'll he took to his
bed, from which he never again arose.
Medical assistance was summoned that
evening, but he grew worse and Dr..
Magruder on leaving the sick room
Thursday evening announced the ser,
| ious character of the illness, stating
that recently decided symptoms Of
heart trouble had developed. Or.
Rixey, surgeon general of the navy,
was called in and kilograms were SEM
to relatives announcing the gravity of
the postmaster generals condition.
Throughout the following day Friday
his condition remained extremely
grave and twice the end seemed near.
Heroic remedies in moderate doses
were resorted to with gratifying re-
suits. DR.. G. T. Grayson, a naval sur
geon, was called into the case and
later in the day Dr. William Osler,
heart specialist and diagnostican of
Baltimore, was called into consulta-
ton.
Feeble Heart Action.
Friday sinking spells began and a
bulletin was Issued announcing that
feeble action of the heart was the
cause of great alarm and later one
stated he had had a number of sink
ing spells. That night he gained
more rest than on any night since he
had been stricken, but early Saturday
morning there was a recurrence of the
/ sinking spells
He rallied with the application of
stimulants and restoratives, but soon
! g1eW weaker again.
No Ray of Hope.
Thus, from the beginning the
friends of Mr.. Payne had cause for
gravest apprehension, and practically
not a ray of hope was held out for his
recovery.
Saturday night was a severe tax on
the remaining vitality of the patient
and during Sunday afternoon his con
dition became so critical that the reia.
tives were hurriedly summoned Mr.
Payne, however, rallied under vigor-
Gus treatment and was able to take
nourishment, to converse with the
doctors and speak to Mrs. Payne. An
unusual degree of improvement was
reported by the DOCTORS &
Sinking Spells Return.
Sunday was a day of sharp con-
| trasts. In the forenoon and early at
te1noon he suffered succession or
sinking spells and at one time the rel
atives were summoned to the sick
chamber, and at Mrs. Payne's request
a minister was called to the bedside.
! A rally followed and later in the day
| the doctors announced decided i'm
! provement. This condition continued
| throughout Sunday night until 5
o'clock Monday morning, when one of
the most serious of the relapses oc-
Cured. A serious relapse of Monday
morning was a severe strain on the al
ready weakened constitution of the pa,
| tIent.
Rapidly Loses Ground.
During the afternoon the informa
| ton came from his room that he was
rapidly losing ground, that. life was
being sustained artifcially and that
lie was believed then to be near
deaths door. The official bulletin at
in the afternoon, summing up the sit
uation for the day, stated that there
had been. no improvement during the
day and that the hearts action was
kept up by repeated use of arterial
stimulants. " 49,
Sinks Monday Night.
Monday night Mr. Payne suffered
one of the worst sinking spells of his
illness. The relatives were summoned
at midnight and remained two hours,
momentarily expecting death, but
shortly after 2 there was slight rally.
The physicians regarded this, however,
as merely a prelude to dissolution and
regarded it as remarkable that the sick
man was alive when Tuesday morning
daWned. For a short time during the
early morning hours his pulse grew
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