Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-15

reOlied: yes" It's well" he SAID.
About 10 minutes before he expired (Which
was 1920 o'clock his breathing became easier.
He lay quietly; he withdrew his hand from
Mr. Lears and felt his own pulse. Il saw his
countenance change" his secretary tells us. ''I
spoke to DR.. Craik, who sat by the fire. He
came to the bedside. The generals hand Eel
from his wrist. i took it in mine and pressed
it to my BOSOM DR.. Craik put his hands over
his eyes and he expired without struggle or q
sigh" Il fa-
While all was silent in grief Mrs. Washing
ton who was sitting at the foot of the bed.
asked DR.. Craik in q firm and collected voice:
SIS he gomez" The physician was unable to
speak, but held up his hand as signal that
he was no more. IT'S well,Y said she, in the
same voice; "all is now over: shall soon follow
him, have no more trials to pass through"
A ND thus the noble spirit of the ilustrious
Washington took its nciseless flight, Decem-
Der IA, 1899. 49,
What MT Gusts has to say regarding WASH
ingtons last minutes on earth are of added in
terest. since he was an eyewitness to all that
tranSpired He tells u.s. "The patient bore his
acute Sufferings with manly fortitude and PEI
feet resignation to the Divine will; while, as the
night advanced, it became evident that he was
sinking and he seemed fully aware that his
hour was nigh He inquired the time and It
was answered. He spoke no more-the hand OF
death was upon him and he was conscious that
his hour was come With surprising self-poS-
session he prepared to die. Composing his form
at length and folding his hands upon his bosom
without sigh-without groan-the Father
of His Country expired quietly as though an
infant died. 8 ."
Continuing Mr. Gusts says: ct may be
asked, And why was the ministry Of religion
wanting to shed its peaceful and benign luster
upon the last hours of Washington? Why was
he, to whom the observance of sacred things
were ever primary duties through life. without
their consultations in his last moments? We
answer, circumstances did not permit 1t was
but for little while that the disease assumed
SO threatening a character as to forbid the en-
couragement of hopes: yet, to stay that sum-
mons which none may refuse, to give still fur
q ther length of days to him whose 'time-honored
life was so dear to mankind, prayer was not
wanting to the throne of grace. Close to the
% couch of the sufferer resting her head upon
. that ancient book with which she had been
wont to hold pious communion a portion OF
every day for more than half century was the
venerable consort absorbed in silent prayer and
from which she only arose when the mourning
group prepared to bear her from the cnamper
of the dead"
The funeral services which were under Ma
sonic auspices, took place Wednesday, Decem-
Der 10, and the greatest of all Americans was
placed in the old vault at Mount Vernon in a
mahogany coffin lined with lead, soldered at the
Joints and the cover likewise secured.
DY number of writer's the medical treatment
~ given Gen. Washington has been spoken OF
as being too severe Mr.. Lear tells us that the
lancet was applied three times and we are fur
ther told that in all 80 ounces Of blood were
taken from the general in the last application.
However, in carefully prepared article APP
pearing recently in the Virginia Medical Month";
~, written by DR.. Walter A. Wells of this city
reviewing the medical treatment given Washing
ton during his last illness, that author makes
an excellent scientific defense of the treatment
given the first President, considering the time
and the methods then in use. DR.. Wells has
this to say:
with regard to the treatment of the case.
after reading Cullen we cannot fail to be struck
with the faithful adherence to the methods rec
commended by this great authority. Clustering,
bleeding emesis and catharSis are the MAIN
stays of his therapeutic regimen. In addition
to them washington had the benefit of hot mus
tard foot baths and hot steam inhalation. which
form part of the present methods in the treat
ment of this class of throat affection. In regard
to the bleeding, this had been the occasion OF
the chief condemnation visited upon Washing
tons physicians. It was with this in mind that
Ford in his True Washington says, There can
scarcely be doubt that the treatment OF his
last illness by the doctors was little less than
murder
'Such brutal cock-sureness of statement
could emanate only from an opinionated lay
man. ignorant of the possibilities in such a case.
If there is anything certain about the case it is
that the chief factor responsible for the fatal
termination was the aSphyxia due to OBJ
structive swelling in the region of the CLOTHS.
Admitting the possibility that the blood
letting was contributory factor, no blame can
properly be attached to Washington's physicians
on that account. They were following the best
authorities, instituted treatment orthodox in
that day and indeed widely practiced for the
following 40 or SO years.
with men Of such influence as Benjamin