Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1901 — DOCTORS GIVE HOPE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DOCTORS GIVE HOPE

Express Opinion Tuesday that McKinley Will Live. ■ w THINK DANGER PAST. First Part of Critical Time Shows No Evidence of Complications. Watchers at the Patient’s Side Cheered by Chance in His Condition First Nourishment Given Since Tragedy Is Injected in Liquid Form —Final Medical Judgment Witbßeld for the Sake of Prudence, but Physicians Expect No Unfavorable Tnrn. “President McKinley will live.” This, according to a Buffalo dispatch early Tuesday morning, was the private opinion of the attending physicians, although for the sake *of prudence they decided to withhold this assertion from the public bulletins for several hours. While the doctors were evidently of the opinion that the chauces were all in favor of the President, medical experience with similar . wounds caused enough anxiety to make them extremely cautious in their public statements. The hazardous period of seventy-two hours immediately following the shooting and the operation was passed without the first sign of blood poisoning. The President late Tuesday afternoon seemed to he recovering rapidly. Monday his surgeons said if he could pass another twenty-four hours without complications lie would surely get well. The Ilwenty-four hours showed uothing.but improvement. Monday night’s official bulletin was of such tenor as to add confidence of the soundest and most rational soil to the hopefulness of tlie day. As yet the surgeons in charge of the ease did not feel that they were professionally warranted in officially declaring the President out of danger. It Is well understood that Drs. Mcßurney, Park, Mann and liixey are conservatism itself. They are not going to affix their signatures to a declaration that all danger has disappeared until they are doubly sure of It. At the same time they stated privately to the family of the President, to the members of the Cabinet and to immediate friends that the danger line had been crossed. 81eeps and Get* Nourishment. Sunday, for the first time since the shooting, the President enjoyed natural sleep. Between 9 and 4 o’clock he had the solace of natural slumber for about four hours, and the physicians stated unofficially that his sleep had been “quiet and reposeful,” and had helped the sufferer a great deal. Sunday, also for the first time, nourishment was administered. It was in liquid form and was given by injection, to avoid the possibility of irritating the walls of the stomach. The exterior wound was dressed during the morning and seemed progressing satisfactorily. The President dozen drowsily throughout the major portion of Saturday. Two physicians and two trained nurses were constantly at his bedside. He did not

quickly recover from the effects of the ether which was administered to him. He was under the influence of the powerful anaesthetic over an hour. Not a cabinet officer, mot even Secretary Cortelyou, was allowed in the sick chamber Saturday. With the exception of the physicians and attendants, Mrs. McKinley was. the only person who crossed the threshold. The President nsked to see her and his physicians did not have the heart to refuse his request. She was there but a few minutes. Mrs. McKinley had been warned not to talk and the President and his wife exchanged only a few words. It was only when he asked her to be brave for both their sakes that she faltered and almost broke down. With choking throat and brimming eyes she promised with a bow of her head. Almost immediately thereafter she was led from the room by Dr. Itixey. PHYSICIAN’S HOPEFUL VIEW. Dr. McHurney Says He May Be Well In » Four Weeks. Dr. Charles Mcßurney, the celebrnted N?ew York surgeon who was summoned kor consultation with tbe other physicians, said after the conference: “With no set-back, President McKinley will be able to resume his duties at the White House within three or four weeks, lie* has taken uo opiates since Saturday and. is being nourished by whisky, hot water and raw egg* administered by injection.”

LEON CZOLGOSZ.