The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-05-06
Preparations Made for Op-
Grafton and Oxygen
Administered.
SLIGHT HOPE GIVEN
FOR HIS RECOVERY
Pneumonia Feared, But Edward Is
Fighting Bravely for
Life.

LONDON. Nay s.-The heart OF the
British empire IS centered today IN a
room IN Buckingham Palace. where
King Edward. for nine years the ruler
Of the British people, is fighting grim
" for his life
The King is suffering from a serious
bronchial affection, a chronic ailment.
monia-
The following bulletin was Issued q
( Buckinham Palace At ?. ~:
The Kings symptoms have become
worse during the day. and his mai
/ esty's condition al This hour is criti-
! cal"
/ The bulletin IS signed BY Laki1g.
Reid. Howell. Dawson. and Thomson
/ If II Is true that pneumonia has deveI-
{ oped as is reported there IS little hope
/ that the King VIII survive Oxygen was
/ being administered this afternoon, and
+ the heart action was reported as beCOm-
/ ing a1ected-
Little Hope Held Out.
/ King Edward rallied later in the after
noon and q high court official stated
I that he had slightly improved Little
( hope Is held out, however
Il an sorry, but It is impossible 70
I say that the King IS better said Lord
/ KnolIys, his secretary, this afternoon
Il am very anxious There has been
no indication OF improvement
I Preparations were made shortly before
{ O'Clock rhis evening for an operation
( upon King Edward % relieve the muscle
/ contraction
owing TO the occasional spasnodic
I contraction Of the Kings throat. en-
/ dangeriDE the 5IcCd vessels It was
Z deemed necessary 70 have a physician
at the bedside 10 keep constant watch
7 OF the ROYAL patient
The startling news OF the king III
/ ness came WIKI sucn suddenness Inal
T the people have hardly recovered from
Z the shock Thousands stand around
Buckingham Palace. and the streets
I adjacent, dumb with anguish and hoping
+ 70 get some word from the sick room
Prayers Ohered for Recovery
These represent largely the common
/ people, while an unending stream OF
/ automobiles and carriages. containing
nobility and leading figures In various
walks Of life, has deposited callers
/ al the palace Only few OF these have
/ been permitted 10 see the KING and
their saddened coUntenances as they left
/ the sick room increased the apprehen-
I sion Of the people
] The Archbishop CT Canterbury vas
\ one OF those permitted 10 enter Jhe
I Kings chamber. Ne sooner did he re
I tTun 10 his official residence than he
/ directed all the bishops in the Church
3 OF England to ofer prayers for MS maj
/ esty. in his grave Illness as the order
read
HIS physicians this afternoon re-
/ fused 70 let Lords Kitchener, Denhau.
ana Strathcona enter the sickrOOn-
/ This was taken as an alarming sign
/ The Queen was at the Kings bedside
1 Tor several hours this afternoon
One of the most solicitoUs callers at
Buckingham today was Sir Ernest
/ Cassei, one OF the Kings closest
friends, wnO returned yesterday from
abroad he arrived soon aIJeT tne
Duke and Duchess of Ieck.
It is admitted that the Kings Illness
is critical, and when his subjects re-
call that he IS sixty-nine years old. has
failed rapidly IN the last few years, and
has shown an ever-iuCreasing inability
TO Withstand disease the reason for
their alarm IS easily apparent
/ The prince OF wales. heir apparent.
left the palace at AS this afternoon
and went 70 his nearby residence at
Marlborough House The prince had
not been staying at this residence late
", and the fact that he returned there
was construed as meaning that he con-
Sidered his fathers condition too grave
10 warrant hl min being Iar from the
palace
One Of the alarming symptoms Of the
Kings condition is the spasmodic con
H.
endangering the blood vessels This
may necessitate an operation Althoueh
ali arrangements FOR a possible Oper-
alton has been made. the physicians
are hopeful that this may be averte5-
Even slight operation in the Kings
present condition would be attended
with the utmost risk.
Oxygen Administered.
The King experiences great difficulty
in breathing and several tanks Of oxy-
gen were taken TO the palace this af-
ternOon. as il is feared that this trOu-
bic viii increase during the night St.
Clair Thomson, the great surgeon and
throat specialist, has been called into
the case in anticipation that an Oper-
[ alton may be necessary
A racing crowd at kempton today
took as happy augury the vlct0ry or
| rl.a Kings horse N-ltCl-Of-tle-Air IN
Z the spring Handicap The victorious
I ioclSev was cheered all the more en-
/ thusiastically because Of his colOrS-
/ Every effort IS being mace 10 permit
/ the King 70 rest IN quiet All the ap-
proaches 10 the palace nave oeen COW
/ cred with peat and ponce are scattered
{ thrOueh the thrOngs that crowd about
! the Buckingham Palace to preserve
o1lIet- This precautiOn is hardly neCes-
say for the whole populaCe IS subdued
4 with grief and the thousands about the
palace speak hardly above whispers
Queen Almost Exhausted
Queen Alexandra is completely worn
out She was slightly I'll when she
returned 10 London yesterday from her
, Mediterranean cruise. Despite the fact
that she was greatly IN need OF rest.
the Queen sat I'D the entire night with
p the other members Of the royal family
Today the Queen retired 90 her apart
ments but not until the physicians had
promised 10 call her in case the kIuE's
condition grew more alarming
The kings illness dates from Iasr
Monday, when he was seized with =