The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-09-13
PRESIDENTS
WIFE A VERY
ILL WOMAN
S tric k e n Thursday
Night and Attend
ing Physicians Say
That Recovery i S
Not Assured


Washington, Sept. s (By the
Associated Press).-The condition
/. of Mrs. Harding. wife Of the pres
ident. was so serious tonight that
recovery is not yet assured a
statement issued at the White
House at $50 p. nj, tonight by
Brig. Gen. C. E. Sawyer. the fam
/! i1y physician. said.
Complications which developed
yesterday and last night, the
statement said. makes Mrs. Hard
ing's condition critical" it was
! added
DR.. John Finney of Baltimore
was called in consultation tonight
and DR.. Charles Mayo is on his
way to the White House from
/, Rochester, Mimi, to attend the
! patient. DR.. Carl W. Sawyer, son
Of Brigadier General Sawyer, and
DR.. Joel T. Boone have been in
attendance on Mrs. Harding since
early today
DR.. George T. Harding, Jr.. Of
Columbus, Ohio, brother Of
President Harding, has also been
summoned to Washington, Secre-
! tary Christian said. When AIR.
! Christian gave out DR.. Sawyer's
statement to newspaper CORE
spondents, he said:
Boys, Mrs. Harding is in a very
/; critical condition.
The statement, timed p. M. is
sued by DIR. Sawyer follows:
Mrs. Harding, whose illness is
a recurrence of attacks eNper-
fenced before coming to the White
House. developed complications
Thursday and Thursday night
which make her condition critical.
These complications are SO serious
that recovery is not yet assured.
DIR. John Finney Of Baltimore was
called in consultation tonight. and
Dir. Charles Mayo is en- route from
Rochester, MINI. DR.. Carl w.
] Sawyer and DIR. Joel T. Boone have
Joined in the attendance on Mrs.
Harding today
DR.. F'inney reached the White
House at 8 O'Clock tonight.
| President Harding remained con-
tinuously at the bedside tonight,
never having left the sick room
since late today. During the day,
too. he was there frequently,
spending part of the morning there
and again after the regular cabinet
meeting this afternoon, going to
visit her.
Secretary Christian and several
attaches remained at the White
! H ouse, where there Was evidently Il
feeling of apprehension. 1t was
! the impression that definite turn
! to the illness might be expected
within the next "a hours.
| The illness was described as ny
; dronephrosis. from which Mrs.
Harding has suffered at intervals
since surgical operation nine
wears ago. In 1916 she passed
through an acute attack, and
shortly after Mn Harding was
elected president IN 1920 was again
i'll. On both occasions. however,
{; her illness yielded more readily to
| treatment, it was said, than the
! present attack.
Severe Cold Last Week.
Mrs. Harding felt the first effects
OF her present illness nearly two
weeks ago while on a weekend
cruise on the Mayflower with the
president and a party of friends.
/ Last week she was reported TO DC
{ suffering from Il severe cold. ana
early this week felt sufficiently re-
covered to again be about the
White House. ~ setback. however.
+! occurred with complications, mark
ed by recurrence of hydro-
nephrosis. again confinins Mrs.
Harding to her room.
During the past two days DR..
Sawyer has been in almost con-
i'stant attendance at her bedside,
his son. Dr.. Carl ". Sawyer OF
/ Marion, Ohio, arriving today for
consultation. Or. Joel T. Boone,
naval medical officer on the May
! flower. a staff OF laboratory. tcchnl-
, clans and two trained nurses also
have been in attendance.
The president spent part of the
morning today at Mrs. Harding S
/ bedside. After the cabinet meeting
i he again left his office to be with
her and late in the afternoon laid
aside his official duties 10 return to
the sick room. Messages express
inS the nope that Mrs. Harding
would quickly be restored to health
were received throughout the day
at the White House. and number
OF cabinet members and prominent
government officials called per-
sonal1y to inquire as To her condi>
ton.
The president and Mrs. Harding
have remained in Washington for
thu. last TWO months continuously.
except for one brief trip down the
Potomac on the presidential yacht,
and have had practically no social
cngasen,ents Mrs. Harding had
appeared to be in excellent health.
but friends. are OF the opinion tha;
the strain incident 10 the acute
industrial situation. With which
she had kept constantly IN touch.
, might have contributed TO her ILL