The Bourbon News

POPE'S LIFE ENDING.
Physicians Entertain But Little
Hope of His Recovery.
Official Bulletins Given Out Are Very
Contradictory in Their Nature
It Is Thought the Doctors Mis-
judged the Disease.
Rome, July 8.-The marvelous vitality and recuperative energy of the
pope was never so forcibly demonstrated as by the series of events preceding, accompanying and following
Tuesday's operation.
Pope Leo remained sitting up in bed
during the whole time of the operation without need of support. When
Dr. Mazzoni substituted the pravaz
needle with a potain aspirator, the
pope did not even notice it, going
through the whole affair without emitting the slightest lament and without
showing any feeling of pain.
Rome, July 9.-The life of Pope Leo
continues to hang by a thread with
the expectation that any moment may
bring the end. Yet the wonderful vitality of the remarkable old man is
combating a complication of diseases
which would endanger a strong man
in the prime of life. It appears that
every one in the vatican is obliged to
give way to overpowering fatigue. so
much more tranquil is it in the palace
than outside. people still congregating
on the piazza of St. Peters. The corner of the palace which remained
lighted the longest was the apartment
of Cardinal Rampolla. where the lights
were extinguished only a short time
after those in the room where Mgr.
Volpani, one of the pontiff's most intimate friends, is lying in a serious condition as a result of the attack of
syncope that he suffered Wednesday.
Pope Leo, as though he had second
sight. has asked several times why
Mgr. Volponi had not been to see him.
Naturally. the condition of Mgr. Volponi has been kept from the pope.
Throughout Wednesday the reports
from the sick room alternated with
fears and hopes. At times rumors of
the gravest character gained currency.
During the night the pope had secured
little refreshing sleep and with this
sleeplessness was augmented depression. The difficulty in breathing had
increased and a derangement of the
kidneys began to manifest itself.
These complications were fully and
frankly stated by the doctors. Their
official bulletin was supplemented in
the course of personal conversation in
which they showed that they entertained scarcely any hopes of recovery.
Yet they always qualified their statements setting forth the remarkable
constitutional strength and energy of
the patient as the most striking evidence of his almost superhuman will.
They instanced the dying man's
leaving his bed during the morning
and taking several steps. unaided save
by a cane. to an arm chair. When this
became known many were disposed to
criticise the doctors for permitting
such an exhausting effort, but it was
explained that the entire absence of
fever, the temperature being even below normal, eliminated the danger of
syncope from this exertion. Moreover
the attending physicians recognized
that they were battling with a man of
iron will who does not know the meaning of restraint.
Fortunately all the climatic conditions in Rome for the time being are
favorable to the sufferer. The air is
deliciously cool and there is complete
absence of the enervating sirocco,
which depresses and kills. The bright
sunshine streams into the papal apartment. The encouraging conditions are
further augmented by the constant use
of artificial means of exhilaration. including steady supplies of oxygen.
The later official bulletin following
a consultation between Drs. Lapponi
and Mazzoni. completely contradicted
the alarmist reports and gave a most
favorable statement. This was disclosed in the improved pulse. better
respiration and ameliorated general
condition. Dr. Mazzoni said in a conversation following the issuance of the
8:15 p. m. bulletin that while the
pope's condition still continued desperate, recovery was not entirely impossible. Unfortunately some elements in the population of Rome. including a few who are high in the
counsels of the vatican, are inclined to
cast doubt on the sincerity of the bulletins. This led during the day to a
strong movement in favor of calling
other physicians. The theory of the
initiators of this movement was that
Drs. Lapponi and Mazzoni had misjudged the disease, taking for pneumonia what was really pleurisy. Both
accepted the idea of a consultation
with any of their colleagues. Many
eminent specialists have been proposed. but it was said late in the night
that it had practically been determined that Dr. Rossini should be called if
another consultation. was decided on.
However. Dr. Mazzoni said that in his
opinion there was no immediate need
of a consultation and that one would
not be called if another consultation
was decided on. However. Dr. Mazzoni said that in his opinion there was
no immediate need unless the present
conditions changed.