Evening star., 1938-09-11
JAMES, OPERATION
TO Be DIFFICULT.
Ulcer Surgeons Will Seek
to Remove More Highly
Situated Than Usual.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ROCHESTER, Mimi. Sept. lO-On
the eve Of the arrival Of President
Roosevelt in Rochester. a Mayo Clinic
physician tonight disclosed that sur
geons who will operate Monday on
James Roosevelt, eldest son of the
President. will be confronted with
technical surgical difficulties because
OF the unusual location Of the gastric
ulcer they seek to remove
The decision a few days ago to
operate. it was learned, came follow
ing the insistence OF a medical con-
sultant. when young Roosevelt did not
respond satisfactorily to treatment
Young Roosevelt was advised, when
he was here last May. that an opera
ton was contingent on the response
to treatment. including mainly dietary
changes and medication.
The lesion is more highly situated
than usual and makes for technical
surgical difficulties" said 4 physician
who asked that his name be withheld
Decision to operate was made follow
ing failure Of the lesion to heal after
intensive therapy and because of Ger
tain secondary phenomena pointing to
duration of the lesion longer than
three years, as first anticipated"
Duration Prevents Healing.
A review of Roosevelt's case with the
patient, his wife and mother convinced
doctors that the origin Of the ulcer
dates back to six or eight years. instead
Of three years, said the physician.
The ulcer is slightly larger and
more penetrating than when he was
here in May" added the physician.
The long duration of the lesion, we
are now satisfied, prevented its heal
ing even under the most favorable
circumstances"
The operating surgeon will be DR..
Howard Gray Of Mayo Clinic, with
DR.. j. D. Pemberton Of Rochester AS
associate consultant. Present during
the operation will be DR.. Ross T.
McIntire, personal physician Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt and q close friend of
James, and a group of Mayo Clinic
doctors who have been active in the
case as consulting surgeons.
Rests C0mfortab bly,.
He is resting comfortably was the
official word tonight from St. Mary's
Hospital, where James is undergoing
preoperative treatment. To ease the
Inflammation prior to the operation
the patient was placed on diet of milk,
soup, custards and orange juice.
Physicians emphasized that his ex-
cellent stamina and youth-he is 80
years old-will 60 long way in his
favor.
President Studies Foreign News.
ABOARD PRESIDENT ROOSE-
VELTS TRAIN, EN- ROUTE TO
ROCHESTER,, Mimi, Sept. l0-Presi-
dent Roosevelt kept in close touch with
the international situation today while
travelling to the bedside Of his son
James, who will undergo a gastric
operation Monday at the Mayo Clinic.
The special left Milwaukee at 1855
pm. after flve-minute pause to
change crews Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt
the Presidents wife, and Betsy, James
wife. already are at the Rochester
(Minn.) hospital. The Presidents s
journey westward was broken only
by periodic stops for train operating
purposes.
Small crowds gathered at Collin
wood, Cleveland suburb, and At other
points along the route, but the Chief
Executive made no appearances.
The President read letters, dictated
for some time and received telegraphic
reports on the foreign situation from
Washington. He also went over news
reports on the international situation.
In q press conference at Hyde Park
last night, the President said erroneous
and politically inspired interpretations
Of the foreign situation recently have
been given by columnists and others.