New-York tribune., 1918-02-07
Colonel Resting Comfort,
ably, Surgeons Report AZ
ter Hospital Ordeal
Illness Result
OF Brazil Trip
Use Of Knife Decided Upon
to End Trouble Continu-
ing Four Years

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt was opcr-
ated upon in Roosevelt Hospital yes
terday afternoon for fistula and alb
eesses In his ears. the result Of the
tropical fevers he contracted four years
ago in his travels in South America
The operations were successful. the
patient recovering from the anaesthetc
without any of the usual unpleasant
after effects. Late last night he was
reported as resting comfortably.
The operations were N charge of DR..
Walton Martin. of 151 East Sixty-third
Street. Colonel Roosevelt's personal
physician. Assisting him were DR.. Ar
thur B. Duel an eye and ear specialist,
of 81 East Fifty Street, and
Dr. William AZ Downes. OF 43O Park
Avenue.
Colonel Roosevelt was taken to the
. operating room just before o'clock,
and it was almost 6 when he was re-
turned to his room. A few minutes
later his secretary handed this formal
statement to the waiting newspaper
men:
Colonel Roosevelt was suffering
from from an abscess in the buttocks
which was the result af an old infection
contracted in Brazil some years ago
This had developed into tistula, which
was successfully treated by operation.
There is no reason to expect any fur
ther complications.
"WALTON MARTIN, NJ. D."
george w. Perkins, who arrived at
this time, was informed that "evary-
thing has come out splendidly"
Operation Successful
Two hours later. when the patient
had fully emerged from the anaesthetic,
Dr Martin said he was resting COM
fortably.
The operation has proved success
lui. there nave been no unpleasant re-
suits and the patient is resting com
iortably; respiration is normal" said
the bulletin.
Neither bulletin, it will be noticed.
makes any mention of the operation on
the ears. This consisted of lancing of
ono large abcess and another described
as lncipient. Failure to mention these.
~ was explained at the hospital, was
due to the fact that the operations
we're but Incidental to the operation
TOR hstula and of minor importance.
Cnoficially it was stated that the
Colonel probably would be confined to
the hosplta. not more than fortnight.
In the meantime, Mrs Roosevelt, who
with the Colonel's two daughters. Mrs.
Nicholas Longworth and Mrs. Richard
Derby. and W. Emlen Roosevelt were
IN an adjoining room while the sur
seons were operating. will live there.
e.. ne DECISION to again operate upon
Ootonei Roosevelt was reached at a
conference of physicians in the Hotel
Langdon yesterday morning. At this
conference, In which Drs. Martin. Duel.
and Downes took part, Colonel Roose-
welt agreed that a course of treatment
TO clear up the entire Situation caused
ny the tropical fever of four years ago
was desirable, this to include a
thorough excising of the deep seated
m aocess first opened at the Colonel's
oyster Bay home or Monday, and Ian
eng OF the abcesses forming in the
ears which had become painful.
In Pain but Smiling
In accordance with this decision the
colonel. accompanied by Mrs. Roosevelt
and his daughters was driven to
EooSeVeIt Hospital founded and largely
financed by members Of his family.
shortly before noon. The Colonel was
rale and evidently in pain, but he
WaiVed assistance and entered the Of
&c smiling. There he was Joined bv
ms secretary. who later in the after
noon issued this statement:
Colonel Roosevelt has gone to Roose
Neit Hospital, where he will be oper-
;ted upon for the abscess which has
pecn the immediate cause of his trouble
@hu also Tor two subsidiary abscesses
system in his Amazonian explorations
our years ago produced.
tie returned suffering from the
alter effects of the very severe euua-
lorlai fever. He has been able to work
Just as actively during the last four
years, but has now and then had a
relapse. during which he has been laid
up and the doctors arc now going to |
treat the whole matter Fundamentally /
ana believe that thereby they will get
RIA OF the entire trouble. That is,
~nile the after effects of the Brazilian |
lever have only at long intervals and I
Tor short periods interfered with Colo |
mel Roosevelt's activities during the
iast tour years, The doctors believe
mat by the action now taken they will
prevent all such interference Of anv
KIND for the future"
Did Not Want to Halt Work
Friends of Colonel Roosevelt ex-
Planned yesterday that the condition
which necessitated the main operation
Yesterday first developed some weeks
ago 1t caused intense distress at
nmes, but the Colonel insisted that it
.. must not be allowed to interfere with
ms ms work The minor operation which
~. = Martin performed on Monday was
ueSlded upon as necessary to afford
ssellef and enable the Colonel to keep
W: uis engagements to speak before the
,s'gllantes Tuesday night, in Boston
West. 49, viz '''ooie
b;ie did not prevent his working with
ms l secretary Monday afternoon or his
Seeping several engagements on Tues
cisy, ciHy at the Harvard Club. From the
h,uo h.. ne went to the Langdon, where
~ previous arrangement DR.. Martin
has las 10 visit him. The physician found
cana.n. am IN such pain that he advised his
cail;sing il;sning all engagements and, after
Aerence of yesterday mornino