New-York tribune., 1922-09-13
Tension Lifted
As Mrs. Harding
Wins Her Fight
Sawyer Reports Crisis is
Past and Operation Will
Not Be Necessary Now;
DIR. Mayo Leaves Capital

From The Trfbune's Wdshington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Sept 12-The crisis
which has threatened the life of Mrs.
Harding for the last few days definitely
passed to-day, with still further i'm
provement in her condition, it was an
nounced officially tonight in bulletin
issued by Brigadier General C. e. Saw
yer, the White House physician.
1t is the first time that the tension Of
uncertairtly has broken since last
Saturday, when she first became criti-
cally ILL., 1t was said earlier at the
White House that plans for an immedi-
ate operation had been abandoned.
The bulletin issued at o'clock to-
night said Mrs. Harding's temperature
at 1880 p. M. was 99.4, pulse 104 and
respiration 2s. The bulletin continued: :
Laboratory. fndings show elin,ina-
tion increasing. Complications indi-
eating surgical interference decreased
to such extent that DR.. Charles Mayo
returned to Rochester, Mimi, this
afternoon. DIR. Carl w. Sawyer is leav-
ing for Marion, Ohio. He will return
to Washington Friday. Unless unfore-
seen exacerbations arise all consultants
feel that the immediate crisis of the
case has been passed"
Operation Held Unneeded
The morning bulletin from the White
House said:
"Mrs. Harding's condition 8 a. M
Temperature, 98.8; pulse, 81; respira-
tion, 80. Early part of night restless.
Later part comfortable. General ap-
pearances improved. Enlargement due
to nephrosis decreasing. Laboratory
findings favorable. Crisis seems to
have been passed. Surgical procedure
deemed unnecessary for the present"
Although Mrs. Harding is now so
much improved that there is said to
be no particular danger, and Dr. Mayo,
who was called here to be ready in
the event an operation became neces
sary, has returned home, General Saw
Yer is keeping the closest constant
watch for any possible signs of re-
lapse. A complete recovery will de-
pend, he said tonight, upon a further
steady Improvement for some time and
may involve ultimate removal of the
diseased kidney. Asked about the pos
sibility of such an operation when Mrs,
Harding has recovered sufficiently, DR..
Sawyer merely said:
That will depend entirely upon the
desires of Mrs. Harding"
General Sawyer explained briefly the
history of Mrs. Harding's illness. One
of the kidneys, he said, has caused her
illness at three different times in the
past, but it has never been so
severe as at present In this attack
of the disease the bad kidney turned
over and became completely .blocked,r .
he said, putting double strain upon
the other one, which subsequently be-
came badly infamed, threatening the
general fatal uraemic poisoning. This
condition obtained until early yester-
day morning, when the inflammation
began subsiding. There were signs to-
day that the inflammation had nearly
disappeared and that the blocked
kidney was tending to resume it's
natural position. Extreme care must
now be maintained, he declared, to pre-
vent return of these conditions.
DR.. Sawyer praises Mrs. Harding for
the fortitude she has displayed at all
times and the brave fight she has been
making. He declared she was an ssideal
Datient"