Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-09-11
OPERATION ON MRS.
HARDING POSTPONED;
CONDITION IMPROVES
Spent Sunday Night Quetly-OcOrs The Best In Amer
lea, Hold Hopes For Early Improvement in Con-
dton of Presidents Wife
HAS MANY DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
President Optimistic Mrs E. B. Mclean Rushes to Bed
side of Friend in Special Train and Be-
ieves Recovery Assured
(Rv United Press,

} CRY United Press.)
Washington, Sept. ll.-COntlnued
Improvement in the condition OF Mrs.
Harding has led attending physicians
to postpone any operation, an Oiilcial
bulletin issued today stated
The official bulletin on Mrs. Hard
ing's condition at $3.50 a. m. was as
follows:
Temperature, 99.5 degrees.
pulse, 90.
desperation, 30.
might less restless. Elimination
/ increased. Complications subsidng.
/ General appearances indicate improve
ment. Operative procedure deferred.
sc. f. SAWYER"
The phrase elimination increased"
referred to Mrs Harding's increased
ability to throw off effects of the pois-
on and prevent further auto-intoxiea-
ton.
Washington. Sept. ia decision
on which may denend the life of Mrs.
/ Harding, wife of the president, was
to be made early today by the corps;
of six attending physicians, headed
bv the world famous surgeon, DR..
/ Charles Mayo of Rochester, Mimi.
They were to decide whether sur
gica operation was necessary. I'M
provemcnt during yesterday in Mrs.
/ Harding's condition an improve
ment so slight as to be almost I'M
perceptibe- caused the doctors, al
ter hours Of earnest consultation and
conference. to defer their decision on
/ the operation. When they decided on
I this course, Mrs Harding was asleep,
and her general condition was such
as to create wave of optimism
among the watchers at her bedside
: that a turn for the better had come,
| that would carry her safely over the
crisis and steadily back to health.
That is what the doctors were hop
ing as they gathered this morning 10
renew their consultation. They realiz-
cd that an operation must be the last
resort, because of Mrs. Harding's
weakened physical condition.
Early morning reports from the
sick room were that Mrs. Harding
spent quiet night. sleeping much of
the time. and suffering comparatively
little pain. In some resDects, Sun
day night was the patients best
night since her illness became criti-
cal. il was stated unofiicially.
An official announcement was eX-
Dected from the physicians after they
had reached their decision concern
ing the operation. There was TO way
to tell, it was indicated. just when
this decision would finally be made,
as many factors entered into it.
4 Further laboratory tests may be ne
cessary, and a postponement Of a
final decision may be agreed on, af
ter the doctors see their patient this
morning.
Two official bulletins, issued at 3
p. m. and 9 D. m. Sunday, told the
story of the Improvement which be-
gan early Sunday morning, and con-
tinued throughout the day.
The first Of these said that dur
ing the early part Of Saturday night,
Mrs. Harding was restless and nerv-
out, but that late in the night she got
10 sleep. while physical appearances
indicated slight Improvement" Her
condition, II was repeated, was still
critical.
The nine D. m. bulletin significant
ly ommitted this gloomy statement,
which has been a part Of all previous
bll4tliil1s L HIS DAlltAll was ltlt iiOHL
cheerful vet issued by DR.. Sawyer,
and said that Mrs. Hardings tempe
rature was 100, 3. or . degree lower
than at noon; pulse 1l6 and respira-
tion 36.
"She has had fairly comfortable
day, with such indications Of a slight
Improvement that the decision rela-
tive to surgical relief was postponed
until Monday morning" the bulletin
concluded.
This bulletin relieved a feeling Of
deep apprehension which has grown
as the hours passed and no word
came from the consulting doctors re-
at!ve 10 their decision on the need
for an operation. The air was full
of rumors and reports that an opera
tion had been performed.
But as soon as the bulletin was
issued. a great wave Of hopefulness
and optimism swept over the white
house. The air was electric with hope.
Everybody frightened up The gloom
lest Sunday the executive mansion
has seen in years became, by COM
parison, CHEEKY.
The general optimism was reflect
ed in President Harding's own con-
duct. He went to bed shortly before
midnight-the earliest hour at which
he has sought rest since his wife be-
came critically i'll. All late callers
went away predicting Mrs. Harding's
recovery. Even DR.. Sawyer, who at
late hour left the white house for
a short walk-his first airing since
that while he would not go so far
as to say that Mrs. Harding had
good chance for recovery, she had
shown improvement.
Mrs. F. B. Mclean. close friend
of Mrs. Harding, said on leaving,
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