The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-10-13

" YIN, -. ~ wv.
President Wilson is not suffering from
a cerebral lesion, but has been in dan
ger Of the very thing. This Is the
opinion Of persons in Washington who,
outside the cautious medical men at
tending him, are best able to form an
opinion concerning the presidents
case.
In Washington are many distln-
guished specialists accustomed to
treating such cases as the presidents
has seemed to be. One idea every one
of these specialists abandoned the mo-
ment it was seen that DR.. Dercum Of
Philadelphia was to be the only expert
called inland that was the possibility
that 1t was mental case" DR.. Der
curna Is not a specialist in mental dis
orders, but a neurologist. His reputa-
ton is based on his knowledge of and
treatment Of physical reaction from
nervous troubles.
Ailment Purely Physical.
Their conclusion is that the presi-
dents ailment is purely physical, but
| 1t is the consequence of mental strain
and emotional strain.
| These have brought on the nervous
exhaustion, which has been publicly
announced, and with it a dangerously
high blood pressure. 1t has been to
prevent this high blood pressure, re-
sulting in serious organic trouble-or
at worst the cerebral lesion spoken of
that his physicians have been work
ing.
A factor Of which the general pub
lie is unaware is the emotional strain
to which the president has been sub
jected. His close friends know the
president is a man OF strong. some
times violent, emotions. Like many
another man, aware of a hot temper,
he has spent much of his life sitting
on the lid Of his own emotions. The
president in the last ten years of his
life has kept down what would have
been a volcanic eruption time and
again by exertion Of his will.
Has Violent Temper.
Correspondents have not forgotten
the time he threatened to whip the
next one that sent out an unauthoriz-
ed report that one of his daughters
was betrothed, and that he proposed
to tnflict similar punishment on one
suspected of unnecessarily annoying
the present Mrs. Wilson in the time
preceding their marriage.
The emotional strain to which the
president was subjected during his
stay in Europe, and after his return, is
little understood. 1t is no exaggera-
ton to say he went to Europe in a
veritable exaltation of spirit. His
mind was fixed on the accompl ishment
Of a splendid ideal
The reception he received from the
lowly in the countries to which he
went, such reception as few men in
! history have experienced, lifted his
spirit to a plane even higher.
M but Ill
steady wearing down as he contended
In Paris, week after week and month
after month. with a group of as mate
rally minded, nonidealistic statesmen
as could we'll have been assembled
Fought Fight Alone
The president found himself fight
ing practically alone. This was due,
not to the fact that he did not have
friends in Paris, but to an element in
the presidents own mental makeup,
an element that also helps explain his
present collapse.
The president never had learned to
use friends. He was unable to turn
the work, or any great part of it. over
to others to do. He endeavored to do
it all himself. He accepted burdens,
the cumulative weight of which were
too great for one man to bear. He
carried the burden alone, just as he
| had been in the habit of carrying it
alone II. Washington To do this he
worked day and night
| President Sensitive Man
And he worked without the uplift
that had come to him gratuitously
from the people of Europe at the be-