The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-08-26

bOfuo uo8fo0 OF obp0itty oh sh0 eecyoe-'
which ~I-endeavored 10 moderate, as i al
ways did on such occasions. On his retir-
ing I observed to him that he had better
take something 10 Iremove his cold; ne
answered, "No; yoA know I never takc
anything for a cold; let II 60 as II came
II was between Q and 3 O'Clock On Satur-
day morning that the General awoke Mrs
Washington and told her he was Q
unwell and had had an ague. She OBJ
served that he could scarcely speak and
breathed with difficulty; and would nave
got up to call a servant, but he would not
permit her, lest she should take cold her
self. He must have waited some hours,
therefore, before seeking any relief, for
In the latitude Of Mount Vernon the sun
rises late In the middle of December. As
soon as the day appeared q servant woman
went into the room to mako q fire and
Mrs. Washington sent her Immediately
to call the secretary. The latter got up,
put on his clothes as quickly as possible
and vent to the Generals chamber. Mrs.
Washington was then up and related how
her husband had been taken Ill. The Cen
eral was then breathing with difficulty
and hardly able to utter q word intelligibly.
He desired that one Of the overseers might
be sent for to bleed him before the doctor
should arrive. Col. Lear despatched imme-
diately a servant for the overseer and an
other for the nearest physician, one DR..
Craik, and then returning to the chamber
found the General in the same situation
he had left him in. IN old fashioned
nostrum, q mixture Of molasses, vinegar
and butter, was prepared for the purpose
Of trying It's effect in the throat; but Wash
ington could not swallow a drop. When-
ever he attempted IL he seemed to be dis
tressed, even ~convulsed and almost suffo-
Gated. Soon after sunrise the overseer
came in and prepared to bleed him. When
the arm was ready the General, observing
that the man seemed agitated, said, as
well as he could speak, Don't be afraid, .
and after the incisioh had been made he
observed, "The orihoe Is not large enough
The blood. however, ran pretty freely.
Mrs. Washington, with q wisdom beyond
that Of her century, doubling whether
bleeding was proper In the Generals situa-
ton, begged that much blood might not be
taken from him, lest 1t should prove in
furious, and desired the secretary to stop It;
but when he was about to mite the string
binding the arm the General put up his hand
to prevent 1t and as soon as he could whis-
per said, More, MORE Mrs. Washington
being still uneasy lest o much blood
should be withdrawn, the bleeding was
stopped after about half q pint had been
extracted. Finding that no relief was OBJ
tanned and that nothing would go down the
throat, the secretary bathed It externally
with sal volatile, but, although the opera
ton was performed in the gentlest manner,
the General murmured, ''Tis very sore.' A
piece Of flannel dipped in sal volatile wa
then put around his neck and his feet were
bathed In warm water, but no a~ssuagement
Of the soreness was secured.
Meanwhile, between 8 and o O'Clock In the
morning, Mrs. Washington had sent for an
other physician, with whom DR.. Craik had
informed her he was accustomed to consult
In serious cases. DR.. Craik himself, coming
In soon after, put a blister Of oantharides or
the throat, took some more blood from the
General, had a gargle made OF vinegar and
sage tea and had the patient inhale the
steam Of some vinegar and hot water. In
attempting to use the gargle, however,
Washington was almost sufYocated. He
was encouraged to cough, but could not
accomplish 1t. A third physician was sent
for at II O'Clock, about which time the Gen-
oral was bled again. No effect was pro-
duoed and he remained in the same state,
unable to swallow anything. About noon a
blister was administered, but this also
caused no Improvement In the patients con-
dition. At 8 o'clock the two additional ply
sicians who had been sent for arrived and
after a consultation Gen. Washington was
bled for the fourth time: we are not surprised
to hear that the blood came very slowly and
was thick. There were no symptoms Of
fainting, however. Calomel and tartar
emetio were next exhibited, but without any
effect.
About half past 4 o'clock the General
managed to tell his secretary to call to his
bedside Mrs. Washing ton, absent tempo
rarily in the room Of Mrs. Lewis, who was
confined In childbed. On her arrival he
requested her to go down into his room
and take from his desk two wills which she
would find there. and bring them to him,
which she did. Upon looking at them he
gave her one, which, he observed, was USE
less, as being superseded by the other, and
desired her to burn It. This she did, and
taking the other. put it into her closet.
After this had been done the secretary
returned to the patients bedside and took
his hand. The General said: Il find I am
going; my breath cannot last long. / be-
lieved from the first that the disorder would
prove fatal. Do you arrange and record
all my late military letters and papers.
Arrange my accounts and settle my books,
as you know more about them thar any
one else. and let Mr.. Rawlins 1.-THE overseer
who had bled himl finish recording my
other letters, which he has begun" As
sured that what he desired should be done,
he then asked IL his secretary could recollect
anything which it was essential for him 20
do, as he had but a short time to continue
among them. The secretary replying that
he could recollect nothing, but hoped he
was not 90 near his end, Washington OBJ
served, smiling. that he certainly was,
and that, as 1t was the debt that all must
pay, he looked to the event with perfect
resignation.
subsequently he appeared to DO in great
pain and distress from the difficulty Of
breathing and frequently changed his
position in the bed. On these occasions the
secretary would lie upon the bed and en-
deavor to raise him and turn him with as
much care as possible. The General ap-