The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-21
POPE'S CONDITION IS EXTREMELY GRAVE, PHYSICIANS STATE
Pontiff Receives Extreme Unction-MentaI Faculties Showing Signs of
 Decline
By Associated Pres.

fncoherent phrases.
 After receiving communion the
 pope asked for extreme uaction.
 which WAS administered shortly
 after o'clock thIs morning by
 Monsignor Zampini, assisted by
 Monsignor Testoni. At the con-
 ciusion of the ceremony, the pom > tiff called MonsiGnor Zampini to
 his bedside, thanked him and
 shook his hand. As a result of
 the pope's insistent appeals, Pro-
 lessor Battfntint left the cham
 her nt 2,40 o'clock for q short
 rest.
 Rome, January 21.-Pope Benedict early this morning lay between life and death. Whether the pontiff could survive the night was consid- cred problematical by Prof. Rafael Battistini, one of the attending phy- sicians.
 Fresh centers of pneumonia infec- ton have developed in the lungs of the patient and the catarrh from which he suffers still persists His temperature shortly after midnight was 1o1 degrees. Breathing was hard and difficult.
 The pneumonia was localized dur ing Friday as centered in the pontiff's right luung. but neither lung was functioning as the physician de- sired, in consequence or an immense accumulation of phlegm. which at times threatened suffocation. The pneumonia is described as being of the pus type.
 Through all his sufferings the mind of the pontiff remains bright and he is described as being exceed ln-ly cheerful and unafraid of death. "If 1t pleases the Lord that I shall work again for His church, I am ready; If He says 1t Is enough, ies His will be done" the pontiff said early Friday evening as the cardinals were withdrawing from the sick chamber after having paid him visit.
 Oxygen Administered
 Throughout the early hours of the s evening Benedict was reported to have been fairly comfortable but as the midnight hour approached he be- came restless. He found difficulty in breathing and oxygen again was administered. This seemed to relieve the patient somewhat.
 During the day the holy father. re- ceived extreme unction and the holy sacrament was administered. A large number of the cardinals and members of the diplomatic corps attached to the Vatican. many of them with tears in their eyes, watched the solemn ceremony through the doorway lead ing from the sick chamber into the anteroom.
 Several times when cardinals en- tered the bedroom during the day and knelt and kissed the hand of the Pontfff as 1t lay on a cushion at his bedside the holy father spoke words of cheer to them.
 Thread of Hope
 That the members of the Sacred college fully realized the gravity of the situation was evident from the troubled looks upon their faces. Ex- ., pt for Professor Marchiafava and a friar of the do good brethren" pes simism pervaded the Pontiffs medical attendants. Professor Marchiafava declared there was a thread of hope" for the recovery of the holy father while the friar asserted that during his long mnistrations among he sick and poor he had seen many persons recover who looked worse than. the Pontiff. To him, he added, the Pom tiff's case did not seem a desperate one.
 All during the night, three physi clans were constantly at the bedside of the Pope. while until late in the evening the anteroom off the sick chamber was filled with diplomats and cardinals eager 10 gather each fragment of fresh news as it came from the sick room. ..,.s.. St. Peters and all the churches of Rome during the day and the night were crowded with persons offering up prayers for the recovery of the holy father.