Evening star., 1928-12-18
KING IS IMPROVED
AFTER BAD NIGHT
Late Bulletin DispeIS Pessi-
mism Expressed Earlier in
day by British Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, December 18.---It was off,
cially stated at o'clock this afternoon
that the improvement noted in King
Georges condition in this morning IS
bulletin has continued
The morning bulletin of the doctors
said that both the Kings general con-
dition and the condition around the
infected lung area had improved over
night. The bulletin, signed by Sir Hugh
Rigby, Sir Stanley Hewett and Lord
Dawson OF Penn, said:
In spite of the King having passed
a disturbed night. there is slight i'm
proVement in both the general and local
conditions"
Night Was Apprehensive.
These welcome tidings came after a
night during which public apprehension
prevailed that the Kings illness. after
encouraging progress over the week
end. might have taken definite turn
lot the worse. Such disquieting pos
Sibility was indicated to the popular
1t was understood that well informed
quarters regarded the latest bulletin as
indicating the slight setback reported
last night was merely temporary. as
mad been hoped. It was said that it
represented part of the ebb and flow
which was to be expected.
Dr Rlgby and Lord Dawson were in
consultation with DR.. Hewett at the
palace for an hour and a half this
morning and left shortly after the bull
letin was issued. An anxious crowd in
front OF the palace had assumed con-
siderable proportions earlier than usual
because of renewed fears that things
Witnm the palace were not going well.
Is Unconscious at Times.
It has been two weeks now since
the King was allowed to occllpv him
self with affairs of any kind. During
this time he has not even been allowed
TO see. as he insisted on doing in the
flrst fortnight of his illness, the bulle-
tlns which his doctors issue each morn
ing and night.
There have been periods of uncon-
sclousneSs since the operations of last
wednesday, but the patient has been
able for the first time in weeks to get
some sleep without sedatives
Each day the illness has seemed to
take a new turn, sometimes for the
better, sometimes for the worse. His
doctors warned the country that it was
likely to follow this course and they
have insisted all along that progress
will be slow and difficult, and that
downward as well as upward turns must
be expected Yesterdays turn was
downward one, and the King. lost
ground, although he had made some
little progress in the previous 36 hours
Meanwhile, time played it's inexor-
able role and there has grown up
general feeling that each hour when
no improvement is noted, must take its
tax on the strength of the 63-year-old
patient. His doctors have not yet said,
however, that the King is any weaker
than before his operation or before
therapy was begun.
Press Is Pessimistic.
Throughout the ebb and flow of the
Kings illness, the English press has
endeavored to buoy up the nations
hope and scrupulously avoided pessi-
mlstic speculation This morning, how
ever. note of disappointment over the
relapse was found in all the newspa-
pers. They said that what progress the
King had made over the weekend was
very slight and that with the setback,
anxiety at the palace had increased
This relapse was announced in last eve
ining's bulletin which said
THE King has this afternoon been
somewhat restless and the progress re-
Gently noted has not been continued
during the last few hours"
A high medical authority not con-
nected with the court said in comment
ing on the bulletin: THE King has
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