Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-04
Daugherty, who was stopping at
another hotel.

answer to inquiries from a Sfnall
group Of newspaper men, said;
"Boys, I can't tell you a thing"
He spoke in a voice that was
choked and, his expression denoted
deep and sudden grief. Quickly aft
err the first announcement was made
the corridors at the presidential
suite became filled, nearby with
members of the presidents official
party, and farther away with news
papermen and others, mostly city,
state and federal officials who had
heard of the news.
The hotel management made an
announcement in the dining room
and the ball room and the great
hostelry soon became quiet as guests
moved about slowly md talked in
hushed voices.
The presidential flag also was
hauled down, soon the entire city
became strangely quiet, as it, like
other cities and towns and hamlets,
bowed it's head in grief.
Doctors Statement
The physicians statement follows:
Last spring, following long pc
Rod of overwork and great strain,
President Harding was confined to
his bed with an attack Of influenza,
which was followed by a few noe
turnal attacks of labored breathing.
His recovery was slow and he had
not fully gained his normal strength
and health when he started out on
the trip to Alaska. He had also had
some attacks of abdominal pain and
Indigestion, and at times he had
some pain associated with feeling
Of oppression in the chest. For
some years his systolic blood pres.
sure had ranged around $50, ana
there was evidence of some arterlal
sclerosis, enlargement of the heart
and defective action of the kidneys.
Except for fatigue and the fact that
his heart and blood vessels were
some years older than the rest of
his body, he was in reasonably good
health.
"On the return trip from Alaska
he had an acute gastro-intestinal at
tack, associated with abdominal pain
and fever In spite of his illness he
insisted on putting through his pro-
gram of speaking in Vancouver and
seattle. He had considerable diff
ficulty in completing his addresses
in Seattle because of weakness and
pain. Because Of this he was per-
suaded to come directly to San Fran
cisco and arrived at the Palace
hotel Sunday morning, July %. He
dressed and walked to the automo-
bile from the train.
BrOnchO-PneumOnia Develops
Sunday evening a consultation
was called because his temperature
had risen to 102 and his pulse and
I'm oil "
The abdominal difficulty had by this
time become localized in the gall
bladder region, but there was a gen.
eral toxemia with fever and leucocy-
tosis. A central broncho pneumonia
soon developed on the left side. 1t
was accompanied by short circula-
tory collapses and cold sweats and
an irregular pulse. Most disturb
ing of all was the rapid and irregu-
lar breathing suggestive of arterio-
scleroSis of the brain vessels in the
region of the respiratory center.
"Under treatment marked i'm
provement in the pneumonia and
circulatory Disturbances took place,
and Thursday, August 2, he was
free from fever and pain; the acute
lung condition was practically gone.
He was resting comfortably in bed
and conversing with Mrs. Harding
and General Sawyer when he died
instantly without a word or a groan.
two all believe he died from apo
plexy or a rupture of a blood vessel
in the axis of the brain near the
respiratory center. His death came |
after recovery from the acute illness
was in progress. 1t might have oc-
Cured at any time. One of his SIS
ters died suddenly in the same man
ner.
(SigneO >
sc. e. SAWYER. NJ. D.,
"RAY LYMAN WILBUR, M. D.,
&C. M. COOPER, M. D.,
-. r. BOONE, M. D.,
HUBERT WORK, M. D."
Mind Clear to Last
President Harding's mind was
clear to the last. Never for a mo-
ment, according. to Secretary Hoov-
err, of the commerce department,
who had been extremely close to
him, did his mind wander even I'M
Ger the burning of the fever from
which he suffered, and his demeanor
throughout his illness was composed
and collected, even occasionally
verging on the humorous.
almost every one who went into
his room was greeted with a joke
Mr.. Hoover said. "He was cheerful
always and remained interested to
the last in his surroundings and in
those who were permitted to APP
preach him