The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-10
OFFICIAL. VATICAN
CURTAIN DOWN ON
POPE'S CONDITION
Reason to Believe. However,
He Is No Worse and Pos
sibly Better
SISTERS WILL NOT
MAKE STATEMENT
Say Brother Cautioned Them
Newspapers Are Apt to
Kill Me Before
My Time

ROME, April (Midnight) There
Is reason to believe that the pope is
no worse tonight, and possibly he is
rather better, but the official curtain
of the Vatican is still down
+ Professor Marchtafava, after his
final evening visit, lost his temper
when asked for a statement as to
the pointifs condition. He denounced
holly what he called the exaggerated
newspaper reports and said 1t was an
outrage to spread runors Of the pope's
death when he was suffering only
from a relapse of influenza, which
would not be serious II II We're not
for the patients age. The rumors Of
the pope's death to which the doctor
referred were sent out from Paris.
Professor Marchiafara refused TO
make any further statement. and no
bulletin was issued.
Relatives More Cheerful.
+ One of the pope's sisters and his
neice left the Vatican at o'clock
They did not seem to be so distressed
as they were yesterday, and told
friends that the popa had no fever.
DIR, Amici, VINO left at O'Clock. add
mitted that the pope had a slight
fever, but was no worse. He assured
inquirers that there was no imminent
danger of death. The Vatican was
vigorously fioSSd by the SWlSS EuaEd
at 1870, and the private telephone
disconnected,
One of the private Chamberlains,
who although he has not been adj
mitted 10 the sick room, rs in close
touch with the pope's secretary, says
there is the utmost difficulty in nour-
ishlng the patient, owing TO his loath-
ing TO take food because of a sore
throat. The pope is also fidgety and
impatient, because of the warm COW
ering which the doctors must keep
on him He is also nervous over his
own condition, instead of joking about
it az he has done heretofore.
All the members OF the Vatican
entourage were deIuged with tele-
grams all over the world inquiring as
to the popes condition, and Cardinal
Merry Del Val. the papal secretary
of state, and the secretaries are work
ing night and day in sending replies.
Doctor Calls Four Times.
Professor Marchiafava, the pope's
principal physician, visited the pontiT
four times during the day, and called
again later this evening. After each
visit the doctor conferred with Cardi-
nal Merry Del VAL the papal secre-
tary of state, who IS supposed TO COM
tnaifieate the news to the members OF
the diplomatic corps at the Vatican.
Visitors who called at the Vatican
condition, were told invariably that
he was decidedly better.
Even his sisters, who spent two
hours at the bedside this morning, and
again this afternoon. insist that his
, condition is improved. but refuse to
, give any particulars of his Illness.
. They SAY their brother told them to
: beware of the wspapermen, as they
, were apt To exaggerate." and, he add
ed. xiii me before my time The
: sisters. Marie and Anna, are deeply
attached to the pope, and obey him
, implicitly. 1t is, therefore, utterly
impossible 10 get them to talk.
equity Bright's Disease.
According to Information from an
indirect but reliable source, the dag
nosis of the physicians. the pope is
, suffering from equity brights disease,
! complicated with two secondary dis
: eases. Yesterdays uremic crisis was
accompanied by alarming and grad
e. ually increasing drowsiness. leading
to complete stupor and commissions
like epileptic fits The stupor was
timely prevented from becoming
worse by frequent hypodermic injec~
tons Of strophantin, which made the
heart beats more regular an dex-
erted a diaratic action while at the
i, same time they had no influence on
1 the over contracted arteries.
There have been no commissions
- the heart action increased. The
= heart beats were unreliable, and ir-
/ regular For this reason continual In
: 5ections of strophantin were neces-
sAr4. and this caused temporary local
= irritation and his seemed to worry
the patient TO d great extent
I Nervous System Sensitive.
VI A thunderstorm accompanied by
: heavy fall of hail disturbed the pope
thus morning. His nervous system has
. become very sensitive since the be-
q ginning of his Illness
- Professor oMarchiatava assured the
press that his holiness is suffering
only from a relapse of Influenza
4 which, like all relapses is causing
: certain amount of anxiety owing to
!, the exalted position of the patient and
= his great age
t, Needs Complete Rest.
= What the pontiff needs above all
o is rest" continued the physician, and
= the twenty-four hours he has spent
= in bed, completely isolated from af-
r fairs, has already produced a saiu-
y tary effect. All the symptoms of a
dangerous character which have been
e mentioned in unauthorized reports are
e either imaginary or grossly eXagger-
IS ated. The present condition of the
e pontir excludes any danger unless
n complications should intervene"
Cardinal Pompeh. who was made \
g new vicar general only few days
. ago. issued orders today for special
= prayers for the pope in all this
:, churches of Rome during the next
= three days.
: Three thousand pilgrims gathered
i in the course of the morning on the
n Piazza di San pietre, in front OF the
Vatican, under the open window OF
@ the pope's apartment, and prayed for
n his recovery.
"a Awakes From Nap Weak.
IL Pope Plus dozed for a short tins
q this afternoon. When he was awake