The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-20
POPE VICTIM
 OF THE WAR

The Tribuna says: '"Fhe pope was the victim of the war. In these latter days he dictated great number of dispatches and tried to avoid the horrors of Euro pean war. The rupture of peace broke down the last remnants )f his strength D That the pope was grievmg deeply over the state of war in Europe even to the last was evidenced by his words during one Of his lucid intervals in the after noon.
 Now l am forced to see," he whispered, the spectacle of my own children, even those who yesterday worked here with me, leave for the war, abandon the cas- sock and cowl for the soldiers uniform I Yesterday although they were of different nationality, they were here studying in | sympathetic companionship-~now in dif- 1 ferent fields they are armed against each other ready to take eacn others lives" Grief over the war in Europe caused the pope much depression from the first outbreak, and several days ago symptoms appeared of the old bronchial affection from which the pontiff had suffered in times past
 On Tuesday Dr. Marchafava announced that the pope was suffering from simple cold and that possibly complete rest for a week would restore him to his usual health. The bronchial condition spread | however, and on Wednesday it was an nounced that the pope's condition was l serious.
 A bulletin issued at o'clock Wednes- day afternoon signed by Drs. Marchia- faya and Amici gave the following ex- planation: "The popes condition grew worse during the night This was due | to the diffusion of the bronchitis to the lower lobe of the left lung. Symptoms l of heart weakness became so threaten | ing at 10:30 o'clock this morning that It was believed the pontiff's life was en- | dansered. At 1:3O D. m. the symptoms were slightly improved, but still grave. Leaves Vatican for Time 1 Dr. Marchiafava was able to leave the Vatican for time, owing to the amelora- | tion of symptoms. He said that nothing | early in the morning had indicated the grave crisis, which had come on rapidly. Shortly after he left Dr. Amici examined the patient. He explained that the sud- den collapse was due to the pontiffs age and the gouty affection, which always combine to give bronchial catarrah of an | acute nature most serious character. Dr. Amici further explained that the pontiff's diminished vitality caused by old | age, might render his illness fatal The | practice of living in heated rooms and | breathing the vitiated atmosphere, as the result of large assemblages in the papal | apartments, was against him, and, he | added, the people would LOW understand why the attending physicians were strong 1 ly opposed to the resumption by the pope | of collective audiences.
 At times during the day the pope had | much difficulty in breathing He suf- l Tered much from headaches and inability | to rid himself of the accumulations in the lungs. Stimuants were injected and | oxygen administered. Several times the | pontiff revived and seemed much better
 He then would speak to those about him | and insist that his desires be executed. | In one of these intervals he asked for Monsignor Rosa, recently appointed sec retary of the Consistorial congregation. | Monsignor Rosa had been an intimate | friend of the pope since the pontiff was l bishop of Treviso. As soon as he was notified he rushed to the Vatican and
 was admitted immediately to the apart ment where the pope was lying. Mon- | signor Rosa remained done with the pope. The incident was considered sig
 nificant, as owing to his present position Monsignor Rosa would be secretary of
 the conclave on the death of the pope It is thought the pope confided in him
 his last wishes.
 Notify Cardinals
 Cardinal Merry Del vnl, the papal sec
 retary, teegraphed to all the cardinals
 notifying them of the grave condition
 from which the pope was suffering.
 Later the ringing of church bells an
 nounced to the faithful the exposition
 of the holy sacrament and called them
 to prayer for the restoration of the pom
 tiff to health. This gave rise to rumors
 of the pope's death, which the Vatican
 denied, owing to the many inquiries from .all quarters.
 Those close to the pope believe that
 grief over the war situation brought or
 the final crisis and so overwhelmed him
 that he was unable in his S0th year to
 withstand still another attack of his old
 enemy, gouty catarrh.
 III health has been the pontiffs loi
 for many years, and jntermittently the
 attacks have been so serious that the
 world was prepared several times to heal
 of his passing. During the summer ther,
 had been numerous denials from the Vat
 ican that his indisposition was serious
 As late as August 10, last. upon the oc
 ca sion of the eleventh anniversary of hi
 coronation, Pope Plus granted numerous
 audiences.
 Two days later 1t became known tha
 ha had canceled virtually all engage