New-York tribune., 1922-09-10
Evening Bulletin Says
Her Condition Still Is
Critical; Operation To
Be Only as Last Resort
President Stays at
Bedside Constantly
Patient Making a PIucky
Fight; Wilson's Call at
White House TO Inquire

~ N1A SAss t1SPt. j. VI fS.
Harding showed slight general i'm
provement late this afternoon and
early this evening, according to a
bulletin issued at 1880 p. m. by Brig
adler General Sawyer, the White
House physician. The medical IT.
tendants evidently found very little
encouragement in the results of their
Latest examination of the White
House patient, however, for they
agreed that her condition continues
as critical as it has been for the last
forty-eight hours.
The belief that an operation was
imminent as the only means OF saw
ing her life was dispelled tonight by
the Presidents secretary, George
Christian, who stated that DR.. Joel
Finney, the eminent surgeon of Johns
Hopkins Hospital, had returned to-
| night to Baltimore after deciding
that an operation should not be mado
unless her condition takes a sudden
drop and that means is found to be
the last resort. Dr.. Charles Mayo.
who is speeding here from Rochester.
Mimi, said Mr.. Christian, "was not
called to make an operation" He is
an old friend of the Hardings, it was
explained, and both they and Gem
eral Sawyer have great confidence
in him.
At II o'clock tonight Mr.. Christian
| said there had been no change in the
patients condition. He added that the
encouraging thing was that Mrs. Hard
ing was no worse.
Abdominal Pain Diminished
DR.. sawyer'a bulletin tonight said:
Temperature, 1922; respiration,
SO; pulse, 112.
"Excretion by kidneys somewhat
/ increased. Laboratory findings indi-
cate less INSTRUMENTATION. Pain in
abdomen diminished Patient has
been able to take and retain some
nourishment. Condition still critical.
! DR.. G. T. Harding jr., President Hard q
| lng's brother, joined the medical &
council Saturday morning. Dir, :
| Charles Mayo, who has been called
to confer on surgical aspects of case,
will arrive in Washington at a. m.
! Sunday"
DR.. Sawyer's morning statemens
said:
Mrs Harding had a fairly good
| night. The complications of yester-
day are less threatening this MORN
| ing. On the whole her condition is
as favorable as can be expected at
this time"
Secretary Christians comment on
Mrs. Harding's condition was that
there has been nothing encouraging
at any time He added that 'all signs
are still very distressing =
The patient has not lapsei into un-
consciousness at any time, it was de-
clared, and is showing remarkable
pluck and confidence that she will re-
cover. One of the few visitors to- day
| to the sick room, on the south side OF
| the second floor of the Executive Man
sien. was Harry Barker, the Secret
/ Service man who has been her special
guard and in whom she has taken
motherly interest "Don't worry Harry;
will get we'll all right" she Is quoted
as saying to him.
At Bedside Again Last Night
The President is constantly at the
1 bedside. Though. he got virtually no
! sieep because of his long vigil last
night, Mr.. Harding remained with her
r1ost Of the day, and it was stated he
/ is sitting beside the bed again to-
night With the single exception OF
/ Harry Barker, there have been no
other visitors to the sckroona.
/ Despite the general signs OF ina
/ proyement disclosed in the examina-
i tion tonight. Mrs. Harding is said 70
be showing evidences of greater neT-
/ Iyousness. One of these was said 90
/ be a tendency TO pluck constantly at
i tho Bed clothing"
Among the numerous callers who
! left cards and expressions of SYM
pathy at the White House to day was
i former President and Mrs. Wilson. DR..
I Cary T. Grayson, who was Mr. Wilson'S
personal physician, also called
Hydro-nephros from which Mrs.
Harding is suffering, has frequently
been mistaken for oropsy. 1t is de-
scribed by physicians as an aceumnla-
ton of fluid in the pelvic region of the
| kidneys, caused by an obstruction of
the flow of urine between the Kidneys
and the bladder. Causes of the tgouble
! have been found by surgeons to be
| what is known as floating kidney and
the lodging of hard crystal body IN
the canal. In the former case one Of
the kidneys gets out Of place and
twists the canal which conducts the
s outgoing fluids, thus closing the pas
sage. In either case sharp pains and
dilation OF the organs result, with
some degree of uremic poisoning IL
not relieved
The White House gates were closed
70 the public for the first time since
President Hardingss inauguration. Seq,
retary of War Weeks, Attorney Gen
.cral Daugherty and others who called
y at the executive ofsices FOR latest re-
ports from the sick room were assured
that Mrs. Harding was holding her
! cwn'' in her struggle, and they left the
White House in optimistic aoods
Steps were being taken to relieve tbs
pain suffered by Mrs. Harding. it was
| said, and she was resting easier TO.
8 night, although her temperature had
y risen somewhat since morning. 1t was
nearly normal at o'clock this morn.
ing; but DR.. Sawyer did not regard to.
! days increase as symptom OF further
! complications.
Prayer fer recovery of Mrs. Hard
E s-x.xr ofSnra% {.sr& C4yaA.