New-York tribune., 1920-01-02
Suffered From Thrombosis.
Says Paper in Account
of How Attack Fol.
lowed Return From Trip
May Get Well i'm Month
Walks in Sick Room Indi-
cate Full Recovery; May
Lack Old Time vigor
Special Cornesnontlenen

&C
BALTIMORE, JAN 1.-President Will
sons illness is defined medically as
shrombosis,' mild and retrievable
condition from which he is rapidly re-
covering, in statement giving details
OF MIR. Wilson's sickness published
to-day in "The Baltimore Sum-"
weDSter's Dictionary defines "throm-
bosis", as "the obstruction of blood
vessel by clot formed at the site of
obstruction"
The statement, "The Sun" asserts. is
cludes- conservative estimate of the
PRESIDENTS present condition and prog
nosls OF its probable course in the
near and ultimate future.
The article sets forth that the Presi-
dent started on his Western trip in
behalf Of the peace treaty "against the
advice of his physician" and "against
ms own better judgment" at a time
when he was still fatigued from his
labors in Paris.
Serious Symptoms Seen.
con the last day of the trip, which
had been cumulatively fatiguing,
nervous twitching of the Presidents
mouth was noticed by his physician
and also slight dropping of the left
corner Of the lower lip" the statement
says. "The condition indicated in this
way was alarming and might have de-
veloped seriously. In the circumstances
the Presidents physician felt justified
TO cancel al! the speaking engagements
and to order the Presidents return to
Washington"
Upon reaching Washington, the story
asserts, the twitching of the mouth
and the dropping of the lip had dis
appeared, and that on the fourth night
after the Presidents arrival home he
played a game of billiards with his
physician, DR.. Cary T. Grayson. Con-
tinuing, the statement says:
THAT night the President had a
slight setback. Acting unwsely, per-
haps, acquiescing in his very strong
disinclination to be treated as sick
a nurse in or anywhere near his sleep
ing room. AS it developed, the presi-
dent was restless andtdid not sleep
we'll. He then arose to get book to
read and before he had turned up the
light he stumbled and fell
Mrs. Wilson was by his side in a
moment and aided the President back
to bed. He was dazed, and this condi-
tion continued for about twenty hours,
and offhand it was not clear whether
the condition was O consequence OF
the fall or caused by a more serious
accident. When it was possible to
examine the President more carefully
local coagllation of blood in a blood
vessel, forming by its clot a slight
obstruction to the circulation, was de-
tected. There were, however, no indica-
tions Of a stroke or the suggestion of
apoplexy. Indeed, all the we'll defined
Indications Of thrombosis, a milder
and perfectly retrievable condition,
were apparent.
"There was exact agreement in dag
nosis among the Presidents physicians
The particular symptoms stated above
were not emphasized in the bulletin be-
cause their general purport, however
carefully wordcd, would have proved
misleading to the public, and it was
unanimously believed that what we may
call the espassing blood would be alb
sorbed into the system without further
arrangement, and this has been the
case.
"While week after this attack, which
occurred exactly as described, the Presi-
dent was still lame and almost powerless s.
in one arm and in one leg, he can now,
and does, raise over his head a dozen
times day the arm that was practical
ly powerless, and while his daily walks
about his room are not prolonged, he
takes them in no shufiing gait. There
is no impcdiment to his walking except
weak legs, natural after three months
spent, if not in bed, at least lying down.
Calling of Experts
The writer asserts that the summon
ing of Dr. F. X. Dercum, the Philadel-
phia neurologist, and DR.. Hugh H.
Young, a specialist OF Baltimore, was
for the purpose of combating "organic
arrangements" resulting from the
strain of the illness under which the
President suffered.
Answering the question, "Will the
President be an absolutely we'll man
again 2" the writer said:
THAT is fair question and the pub
lie is entitled to frank reply. Well
he is sound and reasonably able bodied
to-day. He will never be able to work
fifteen hours day again-that is, moi
with impunity; and. of course, in {
sense which physicians understand, but
which laymen may .misinterpret, ne
man over fifty is quite the same after
serious illness. such as the President
so recently experienced.
"But unless something wholly un
foreseen occurs-and, of course, human
life is uncertain-there is at present
no reason to expect we will not have
within the month in the White House
perfectly competent working Presi
!. dent"