Evening star., 1928-12-14
KING PASSES CRISIS,
but IS NOT YET OUT
OF DANGER STAGE
Long Struggle Ahead Before
He Reaches ConvaIescence,
Physicians Announce.
QUEEN SENDS REPLY ~
TO COOLIDGE MESSAGE
Rulers Amazing Vitality Surprises
Britain-Strength Needed in
Next "a Hours.
BY the Associated Press.

by tne Associated Press.
LONDON, December 14.-Although
King George has successfully passed
through a very critical phase Of his
illness, the latest official word from
Buckingham Palace today indicated that
there was a long and difficult struggle
ahead of him before the danger point
was passed and he reached a con-
valescent stage.
King Georges physicians this morn
ing issued this bulletin:
THE slight improvement in the
Kings condition noted last evening is
maintained. Any progress must be slow
and difficult."
1t was stated at, Buckingham Palace
at o'clock this afternoon that there
was no further change In the Kings
condition.
Queen Sends Reply.
A message In reply to that of PreSi-
dent Coolidge was sent from the palace
this morning. II said:
THE Queen is most grateful to you,
Mr.. President. for your kind message, of
which mis- majesty will in due course be
informed as soon as his strength per-
mits. Though the recent operation sue
ceSSfully treated one phase of the Kings
serious illness, the consequence of the
general infection will entail many weeks
of slow and anxious progress before con-
valescence can be reached"
The message was signed by Lord
Stamfordham, private secretary to the
King
President Coolidge's message express
ing the hope that the convalescence of
King George would be matter of a
short time was fervently echoed by the
Kings subjects today with a greater
confidence than had been possible for
many days.
Successful Operation Cheering.
1t was generally felt that II the Kings
strength remained undiminished for ~
hours, more complete recovery might be
looked for without extravagant op-
timism. That the King withsood so well
operations which were dangerous In his
weakened state was held to be good
omen. 1t was not overlooked that weak
ness continued and that toxemia had
not not yet been overcome. The people,
nevertheless, shared the satisfaction felt
by the royal household at the evening
bulletin and at other information OBJ
tanned privately from doctors
That the patient was not losing
ground was stressed by medical experts
in today's newspapers. They held that
this showed that the vital organs,
especially the heart, were still func-
tioning sufficiently well, notwithstand-
ing the double attack upon them by
poisoning and general exhaustion OF
the body.
Exhaustion, it was pointed out was
inevitable after nearly four weeks of an
exceptionally severe illness. But that
the King had been able so far to fight
successfully against both exhaustion
and the ravage of disease, was taken
to show that he possessed amazing
vitality. The satisfactory state of the
wound made by the operation was re-
garded as hopeful indication, although
not of the greatest importance COM
pared with other aspects of his con-
dition.
Operation Not Described.
How far this encouraging state of the
wound was due to the character of the
operation was not known as the ply
sicians did not think it fitting to de-
scribe the operation in detail 1t was
pointed out that If the rib was cut the
operation would be more serious than
II, as unofficially stated today, it was
found sufficient to make small in
cision for the insertion of the draining
tube without cutting any bone.
Whether the operation was done at
the suggestion of any members of the
royal family or whether they merely
accepted the physicians advice was not
known. The Daily Express said today
that the royal family merely accepted
the doctors advice. The paper said
that great anxiety was felt lest the
Kings heart should not prove strong
enough to stand the shock of an opera
ton, but doctors told Queen Mary and
the Prince of Wales that If the opera
ton was not performed, the toxemia
with which the blood was infected would
IA (e1H.