Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1881 — THE PRESIDENT. [ARTICLE]

THE PRESIDENT.

Washington, July 14. The condition of President Garfield, this morning, is better than at any time since he was shot, and the hopefulness of his surgeons almost amounts to confidence in his ultimate recovery. The fever has decreased. At 2 o’clock this monring his pulse was below .100, and his temperature about 100. Dr. Bliss said at 10 o’clock last night that he was satisfied the culminating point had been passed, and that the condition of the President will steadily improve from day to day. Suppuration is progressing, naturally, the wound has a healthy appearance, and there is little to dread now from secondary hemorrhage or blood-poisoning. The patient continues to take more nourishment each day, and there has been no gastric disturbance recently. Yesterday, in addition to eating a slice of toast, he chewed the breast of a woodcock, but did not swallow the fiber. Dr. Woodward, one of the physicians in attendance, stated yesterday that the patient has suffered from “circumscribed peritonitis’’ since the second day, but that its extent his been reduced each day until now it is scarcely perceptible. Ho says the abatement of the inflammation shows that the bullet is doing no harm. On being asked if there were other signs of improvement, he said that persons without any medical knowledge could not fail to recognize a great improvement in the President’s condition during the past few days by simply-looking at him. “His eye is brigliter, his color better, and he moves with less difficulty. An increased amount of nourishment has been given with good results, and the wound is doing well,” said the doctor. Dr. Bliss said : “If no new complication arises the President will be substantially out of danger by Saturday.” Dr. Hamilton said that for his part he expects the President to recover, and that he finds added cause for confidence every hour. “The President,” he says, “is doing as well as can be expected, and his chances of recovery are excellent.”

The refrigeration apparatus constructed in the basement of the White House works admirably. It supplied the President’s room with 18 000 cubic feet of pure dry air at a temperature of 54 degrees yesterday. The coolness of the sick-room has an excellent effect on the patient. Before he went to sleep last night the President asked Dr. Reyburn what was the news, and the doctor replied by telling him that “the Governors of several States had in view to issue, when the President should be out of danger, a proclamation for a general day of thanksgiving and praise to God for the answered prayers of the nation.” The patient seemed to be greatly touched and gratified at this information. Col. Rockwell remarked to the President that “ the heart of the nation was in his room.” The words seemed to impress him greatly, and afterward he murmured in his sleep: “ The heart of the nation will not let the old soldier die.” Washington, July 15. Each day the President’s condition shows steady improvement. There is no reason to doubt his continued progress. He raised his bill of fare yesterday by eating a roast-beef sandwich half the size of his hand. He said that ho was beginning to tire of baby food. Ho would have eaten another sandwich if the doctors had thought it best. The temperature of the President’s room and of the ones adjoining was kept down to 75 degrees. The President did not indulge in any despondent talk. He seemed to realize, more than he has any day this webk, his improvement The nourishment taken by the President is slightly increased from day to day. When he can take a fair amount of food without causing fever, or overtasking his weakened system, a rapid gain in strength may be looked for. Until then he must, of course, remain very weak, but the abatement of his fever, the diminution of pain and the favorable changes in other directions indicate that it will not be long before he can take an amount of solid food that will have a marked effect on his strength. There is no truth in the statement published that the doctors in charge proposed to see if they could locate the bullet by electric appliances. They are quite oontent to let the bullet alone for the present, and have no idea of having the President worried with experiments of this kind. The Cabinet people are so well satisfied with progress that tbey begin to thiuk they will be able to take their families away within the next week or ten days. Postmaster General James telegraphed to New York last night: “The President is doing splendidly. He is surely out of the woods.” Ex-Senator Conkling called at the White House yesterday. He did not enter, but sent his card to Mrs. Garfield, saying that he knew it would be impossible for him to see the President, and he did not wish to bother her with an interview. He expressed cordial sympathy and his wishes for the speedy recovery of the President. The flood of false statements about Guiteau and his crime have prompted District Attorney Corkhill to give to the public an accurate account of his movements. Guiteau arrived in Washington March 6 and put up at the Ebbit House, where he remained only one day ; he thereafter roomed at various places in the Capital City. On the 18th of May he determined to kill the President, but had not money enough to buy a pistol. Toward the end of May he visited O’Meara’s gun shop in Washington, examined several pistols, and remarked that he wanted one of large caliber. Soon after he succeeded in borrowing sls from a too-benevolent Washington gentleman. Of this sum he spent $lO in purchasing the pistol with which he attempted to kill the President. Having provided himself with the pistol and with sufficient ammunition, he began to practice with it, firing at a board and at other marks. On the Sunday of the 12th of June he followed the President to the Christian Church with the intention of killing him there, but he saw that, on making the attempt, he would be most likely to shoot somebody else beside the President, so he left. Before leaving, however, he noticed that the President sat by an open window. Guiteau examined this window, and came to the conclusion that he would shoot the President from it through the head on Sunday, the 19th of June. He learned, however, that the President was about to ieave for Long Branch with Mrs. Garfield on Saturday, the 18th, and went to the depot, after having practiced with his revolver that morning, his mind fully made up to do the deed. Mrs. Garfield, as she leaned on the President’s ai m at the depot, looked so very weak and pale, however, that Guiteau says he had not the heart to shoot him in her presence, and, feeling that he would have another opportunity, he left' the depot. On Wednesday, the 22d of June, the assassin followed the President, who went out riding with his son and United States Marshal Henry, but as the carriage did not stop the fiend was foiled that night. On the evening of the Ist of July he followed the President to Secretary Blaine’s residence, and then dogged the President and Secretary Blaine as they walked from the latter's residence to the White House, but got no opportunity to carry out his murderous purpose that evening. The following morning after breakfast be went to the Pennsylvania depot, loitered around for a considerable time, examined his pistol to see that all was right, and, when the President entered the ladies’ waitingroom, he walked up behind him and Cred two shots. Washington, July 16. The President continues to steadily improve. The physicians are sanguine that the worst is passed, that pyemia need not be feared, and the recovery of the President is only a matter of a few weeks. His appetite is becoming normal, and the increase in strength is the result of his diet. Surgeon General Barnes said this morning that, all though the attending physicians did not feehke throwing up their hats and saying the President was out of danger, they could yet say that he was practically so, unless unforeseen complications arise, and there were no signs of such. “One need only look at the President to be assured of his continned improvement,” added Dr. Barnes. Dr. Bliss says that the President is about out of danger, the crisis may be said to have passed, and on the whole he is pretty safe. “ The case progresses nicely.” he continued, “ and every one about the White House feels as if hope may well be buoyant.” Dr. Reyburn is equally hopeful. Dr. Frank H. Hamilton, of New fork, bas written to a friend saying that he feel® convinced that a mistaken diagnosis was made in the President’s case—that the ball instead of passing through the liver was deflected downward by striking the eleventh rib, and then lodged in the muscles within the pelvis. Dr. Hamilton’s opinions are shared by uwny eminent Burgeons through the country.

The physicians have decided not to try on the President the Bell electrical mstrument for locating the ball. They say that the ball is all right, and doing very nicely, and that there is no reason or necessity of disturbing the President by an experiment to locate it. The instrument may be used when the President gets well, but not before.