Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1881 — PRESIDENT GARFIELD. [ARTICLE]

PRESIDENT GARFIELD.

Washington, Aug. li There was a slight improvement in the President’s condition yesterday. He slept well last night, the pulse has shown a steady diminution, and there has been no recurrence of the vomiting. The fears of blood-poisoning have been dismissed. A teaspoonful of beef juice and a few drops of muriatic acid were given twice in the afternoon, and a spice blister put on the stomach. The patient’s weight has lessened seventy pounds since the assassination, and his face is represented as haggard and blanched. The physicians have decided not to administer food in the natural way for some time to come. Tventy ounces of nutritive substances are daily injected into the President’s system. It appears clear to the medical attendants of the President that his critical condition was caused simply by a form of dyspepsia. While the effort was being made to increase the vitality of the body and fortify it for the exhaustion attending the sufferiug and constant discharge from the wound, the diet was too rapidly increased and produced the relapse. The discovery of this fact will be productive of beneficial results in the immediate future. More patience will be exercised, and the building up of the system will be slower and surer. Dr. Bliss believes that by the time the President recovers from the gastric attack the wound will bo healed. It is already far advanced in the healing stage, and the resumption of the I unctions of the stomach will be the only thing needed to bring the patient to the long-looked-for convalescence. Mrs. Garfield bears up bravely, and her confidence iu her husband’s recovery remains unshaken. A citizen of New York, describing himself as in robust health, has offered his blood to save the President by transfusion. Dr. Baxter, who has been the President’s physician for ten years previous to the shooting, says that, although of stalwart physique, Gen. Garfield suffered much during the time he attended him from chronic dyspepsia and a delicate stomach, brought about by his sedentary habits and mental strain. He said that the President was in the habit of eating too rapidly, without proper masticatiou, and also made’s practice of sitting up late at night over his books or in considering public business. These habits had the effect of increasing his dyspeptic condition. Dr. Baxter thinks that the’ attending surgeons have not given these facta as much attention as the circumstances called for. Among the vast number of dispatches received ai the White House was one of a personal character from Queen Victoria, which was answered by Mrs. Garfield. Secretary Blaine, who was in Augusta when ho first heard the news of the last unfavorable change in the President’s condition, returned to Washington yesterday. Yesterday afternoon, while McGill, employed as a guard in the jail, was passing Guiteau’s cell he noticed the-occupant employed apparently in paring his nails. McGill approached the cell and asked Guiteau what he was doing. Guiteau said Le was doing nothing, and oil McGill asking what he was doing with the knife the scoundrel mado oath that be had none. The guard, called on him to drop it, whereupon the murderous ruffian jumped up and attempted to stab him. McGill pulled his revolver, Guiteau grappled him, and in the struggle the revolver went off. This brought other guards, and Guiteau was secured. The knife, which he swore he had not, was found under his foot. It is made of steel, is five or six inches in length and rather sharp. Guiteau, after being disarmed, raved and affected insanity. How he came in possession of the knife has not beeD ascertained. Washington, Aug. 19. A stronger pulse, a better feeling of the skin, retention of nourishment derived from enemata, and the excellent tone of the President’s mind, are mentioned aa unmistakablo indications that the crisis is past and the road to recovery again regained. The fact that the President is able to procure refreshing sleep without the use of anodynes is pointed to as one of the most favorable features of his case. The irritation of the stomach has entirely ceased, and it is thought the patient’s thirst will be entirely satisfied by snpp’ying him with fluids in the ordinary way and by enemata. The wound is considered in a very healthy condition. Some alarm was created yesterday among the unmedical by the appearance of a swelling of the parotid gland near tho right angle of the jaw. This, however, occasions no uneasiness among the professional men, being merely regarded as an indication of a debilitated system, the result of a low tone of the blood, and not figuring in the case one way or another. Agnew informed Mrs. Garfield that the only thing needed for the rapid recovery of the President was the improvement of the digestive power of the stomach. Warden Crocker, of the Washington jail, yesterday handed Guiteau a postal-card from his sister, Mrs. F. M. Scoville, of Chicago, asking about his health. The assassin requested that she be informed that he was praying daily for the recovery of the President, and regretted his deed. Washington, Aug. 20. The President continues to improve slowly, and is much better this morning than at any time since the recent relapse. His sleep last night was of a refreshing character. Yesterday he j artook of twenty-two ounces of liquid food through the mouth, and there were no symptoms of gastric disturbance or nausea. The inflammation of the parotid gland has subsided, and the fear of suppuration ■therefrom has disappeared. The wouud continues to secrete healthy pus, though iu daiiy diminishing quantities. The temperature and pulse are in a much better condition. The physicians believe that, the patient is gradually recovering his powers of digestion, when Ins general improvement will be more marked. Thus, with the close of the seventh week, there is a brighter prospect for the sick man. The physicians have given hopeful assurances to the Cabinet Ministers that unless other serious complications should arise the President will continue to improve. Col. Waring, a sanitary expert, is giving the Wnite House a thorough examination. Among the late letters of sympathy received yesterday was one from the Patriarch of Armenians in Turkey. A haudsomo young woman giving her name as Mrs. Mary L. Remmger,of Brooklyn, appeared at the White House yesterday, and demanded an opportunity to cure the President for which purpose she had come from Pans. She was sent to the insane asylum, where it was found that she wore the costume of a ballet-dancer under her dress.