KING’S HEALTH

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1928, Page 5

KING’S HEALTH

STILL VERY ANXIOUS. ("United Press Association. —Itv Electric Telegraph.—Copyi igbt.) LONDON. Dec. If,. Tlie fourth week-end id' the King’s illness finds the situation still a very anxious one, as it was on the previous three. Yet the illness has undergone maiiv changes and developments. The puhlie have been htioyed with hope one day. and reduced to "rave anxiety on the following day. The hulletin is the surest index of the position to he seen outside the Palace. When a had hulletin is issued the anxious crowd outside grows to thousands. The general poisoning of the whole blood system, which was so alarming at the first stage, has slowly localised itself into a collection of noxious matter affecting the lung, for which the operation was performed. Such an operation, as already pointed out, it successful, is often followed hv a twenty-four hours’ rapid and marked improvement, due to the relied experienced. Lord Dawson and Dr Rigby left the Palace at B.ld, having stayed lor an hour. Sir F. S. llewett remained. 'llie Prince of Wales and Duke and Duchess of York dined with the Queen, and left the Palace at It p.m. UNO A 0 EM ENTS C AX (TILL KI) LONDON, Dec. 15. A hulletin at eleven this morning, signed by Or Rigby, stated that the King had had several hours’ sleep, j The local condition was thus lar satisfactory. There was no increase in exhaustion, and the pulse remains steady. Another hulletin at 7.80 this evening si a ted that His Majesty had had j a. quiet day, with some sleep. though his pulse remains steady, and the lever is now moderate, exhaustion persists. It has been decided to employ l’av terapliy as part of the treatment. The morning bulletin is regarded at the Palace as favourable, and justifying the hope expressed last night that the less satisfactory condition prevai ing is only one ol the fluctuations t■ < he expected in the course of the illness. Last night’s sleep has been beneficial, and probably contributed to maintenance df strength, which, wil steadiness in pulse, is one of the most reassuring features of the bulletin. The doctors had a long nlTonm consultation with the Prince of Wales and Lord Dawson left the Palace al three o’clocit. The Queen did not go for her usual drive, and Princess Mary cancelled toI day’s engagement at Windsor, and rcmains at the Palace. Doctors Poliert Stanton Woods, Alfred Bakexvell, and Sir F. S. Hewelt returned to the Palace within hah a hour of their denari It is announced officially from the Palace that the King does not wish his illness to in any way interlcre with the Christmas party to six hundred disabled soldiers, for which the King lent his riding school at the Palace. A DISQUIETING BULLETIN. LONDON, Dee. Id. 'l lie hulletin gives the disquieting reminder that the time has not yet atrived for optimism. The King’s condition, after the successful operation has been regarded by the public as a turning point in Ids illness, hut even authoritative statement, including official warnings from the Palace, stress the anxiety which is still lelt. To-night’s' bulletin Ims not lessened the anxiety. The tact that the King had a disturbed day .and Ids general condition is not quite so satisfactory are definitely not to the good ; nevertheless, it is learned authoritatively I hat there was a slight retardation of progress and the doctors are quite prepared during the long struggle ahead for other such fluctuations, which may occur. The fact that the pulse remains steady saved the situation from being a serious one. Anxiety must definitely continue until it is known whether the King’s strength is sufficient to banish the microbes. The Daily Express's medical writer regards the bulletin as disquieting, because, while it is assumed that the local condition is satisfactory, his general condition is unsatisfactory. “It indicates some cause beside the local one at work, and appears as though the general infection was assuming a more serious position than exon h<fore. It means either that there is .still some local connection ol pus not escaping by .the method adopted, or that general poisoning is the most serious aspect of the ease.” The Prince of Wales sent a letter to Mr TTarishani, President of the King Edward llispital Fund intimating that although hack in England, he cannot just at present undertake any y public engagements, and asked tlm present oflieers to carry on until (lie end of the yeat. LONDON. Dee. VI. The Queen, asknowledgiug Mr Coolidgo’s message, said: “IDs .Majesty will lie informed thereof as soon as his strength permits. The consequents of general infection will entail many weeks’ slow and anxious peeress before convalescence can he reach -ed.” | s is officially staled at the Palace that the operation did not involve the removal of a rib section. BY LABOUR PARTY’S LEADER. LONDON, Dee. In. I would like to say how all have been moved by the King’s illness,” said Mr Ramsay MacDonald (Leader

of ilii' Parliamentary Labour Party) 1 at a dinner to night. '•.Sympathy is not a question of sycophancy with those who have the great pleasure ol knowing the King personally. We know how sincerely devoted to duly, wuh constitutional impartiality, he i-.-liid we realise, when lie is walking through dark shadows., how lextrat’ldiimrily well lli.-i .Majesty has always done his work, and how in doing it, he knit its to him, not as the ometai dignilicd head ol the state bill as one who belongs to the nation, lie has 1 rird all his life in all Ills actions la carry out his national respoiisihiiitx and t!i advance the national interests. There is not one member oi the old Labour Cabinet, who would not join me in player for Ids complete re covorv.”

PRINCESS MARY. MORE DOCTORS CALLED IN (Received this day at !.). a.m.) LONDON. Dee. 15. Apart from the fact that Princess Mary cancelled her visit io Windsor because in the Dean’s words ‘'The condition of tlie King was very grave.” she does not care to he away over long from, the .Palace, hut does not want you to think there is any seriously worf>e movement.

The most important development today was the summoning of two addiional doctors who arrived at iLB<) and left at 5.80 and then returned within half an hour. These comings and goings are partly explainable by in formation from the Palace that the doctors were waiting for some hours to see the King, hut as Ill's .Majesty was sleeping in the afternoon' it was decided to let the invaluable sleep aid in their light and they did not interrupt him. Dr Dawson remained at the Palace the whole afternoon, and had long consultation with Dr Hewitt. The Prince of Wales awaited tlie conclusion thereof, alter which the newcomers arrived. Dr Woods is an eminent eleetmlogist and radiologist in charge of the Department ol Physical Medicine and Electro-logy at London Hospital. He is part author of “Pericarditis with ElUsion-”

I)r llowitt is an eminent Harley St. chief clinical assistant in action therapy at (lily’s Hospital. phyi.-deiaii in charge of physiotherapy and massage departments, Prince of Wales Hospital at Tottenham, and part author of “Observations of Light Sensitisation.”

There was no surprise therefore when a hulletin revealed tlie adoption of a new method ol attack wit 1 i the names of Woods and llowitt. who are tlie host known experts on ray therapy treatment, and are presumably responsible therefore

The science of ray therapy lias made great strides since the discovery of the medical value of X-rays, and the introduction of radium, particularly in connection with the destruction ol diseased tissues. It therefore played a great part in the treatment of cancer a.s an accessory to surgical treatment. It is now possible to enable the healing work of the rays to operate al a considerable depth, byt the insertion of minute capillary glass or gold tubes, containing radium emanating by means of surgical needles. It is uiulersto nl that ray theraphy will be directed in the King's ease chietly against general infection.

An eminent London specialist commenting on tlie hulletin said: "I presume the doctors mean ultra-violet ray treatment. It is known that this has been under consideration Ihe effect is that of a general tonic. It also acts in such a way as to destroy bacteria. It increases bacteria! resistance of the blood and also would tend to promote the healthy healing ol the wound after the operation. 1 take it that in this case tlie doctors are going to use it for tonic clicet and to neutralise the infection.

The night bulletin is generally regarded ns .satislaetory in the circumstances. It is yven stated from an usually reliable reliable source that the King’s condition is such that there is no cause for immediate anxiety. Ihe rav therapy is simple a new method in the long difficult struggle, which the doctors are waging. Exhaustion is the result of the poisoning from the general infection. The fact that His Majesty had a quiet day and the fever moderating, is regarded as reassuring. It is recognised that there are still inanv difficulties to face.

Drs llowitt and Woods led the Palace about 8.80 iu tlie evening. Drs Dawson and Righv followed shortly, llewett staying on with a hriel break of about half an hour.

|)rs llewett, Dawson. Hownlt and Woods were in consultation Ibr a Knit four hours. The calling in of lK'Wifl •ind Woods makes ten doctors in alleluia nee 1 on His Majesty: Hewitt. Dawson. Buzzard. Rolleston. Hodgson (radiologist b Rigby (surgeon). Shipway (anaesthetist), "Whitley (h:\eteiiologist), Llowitt and Woods (ray theraphy experts. There are also six nursois. Thorn \v:is :i curious error in oonnoclion with one of the new doctors’ names. At first il was given out as Dr "William llowitt. Tin* newspapers ascertained that a doctor hearing such n name was al Xullingham, hut he war still there. Then it was thought if was his brother, Dr Alfred llowitt. but eventually it was proved to be neither, but Dr. Frank llowitt. It was learned shortly More mid night that the King’s condition showed no change since the hulletin. The Prince of Wales and the A orks dint'd at the Palace .and left about eleven o’clock. At midnight it was learned that the King was having a restful night with some sleep. During the half hour’s absence referred to earlier, Drs Moods and llowitt procured tlm requisite appliances. 'riie.se. wen' adjusted with Dm aid of the Palace electrician.

In connection with Princess Mary’s recall, she is a trained nurse. Tile donors have now marshalled all i the resources of medical science on bo- : half "I the patient, bacteriology, surgI cry. oxygen and electroiheraphy. The 1 last mentioned is now frequently used [ io help the heart in addition to other ! purposes indicated. AN IMPRESS!YE INCIDENT. LONDON. Dee. 1(3 There was an impressive scene at llie Marine iia rra-!•>. Portsmouth, when the boxer. Gene Tiinuey. wlm is a eaplaiii in t billed Sates naval reserve, before presenting a loothah clip ire,in A.meriiaii naval ufiic<Ts and men. said—“l would - like to ask tin* privilege to hew my head in prayer lor the speedy recovery oi your King. The whole assemblage followed suit lor two minutes. In response to a message I rum t.lm j Roy Scouts Association, on behajl oi the movement throughout the Empire, the Queen replied with thanks and assurance. that the King appreciated good wishes. THE DANCER RIS(TSSEI). LONDON. Dee. 18. A usually well informed writer in tin' “News of the World” says tlm ! danger is ihad tlie heart may fail, j Dr Ifewitt had a most anxious and j trying time, made more so by stigges- I tions I rom leaf nous and unlearned'--. | The Queen, or. the uLlmr hand, never i fussed the doctors. It is a complete j misapprehension that the Icing has . bom] worried by numerous medical ex- t animations by numerous doctors. This j is not the ea.sc. Where the symptoms | are well understood and as i> eiisioiiinry thev have been dismissed by tlie I doctors in conlermu'e. X-ray photo- ; graphs of the King are some of the best ever taken of a patient when lying in bed. The King has been delirious oil and on. hut recognised the prince of Wales greeting him with the re-mark. “Well David, how many lions did you shoot.” i Amid the tenseness ol her own mix- j jetv. the (R.'eeu lias not lergolleii lim | hapless unemployed miners and their ; dies ol the Welsh coalfields to j whom she is sending clothing and | lot's, and np’ cals io evervhody to j brighten the sufferers at Christmas. j Princes- Mary smit a supply oi j boots and her two sons a large selee- j tinn of toys. i The Dm hess of York is sending clothing and Princess Elizabeth toys, i Mr Baldwin personally sent a letter | |n | lie Lord Licllleuuiit bespeaking 1 tic speediest co-opera I ion for rebel, j Mr and Mrs Lethbridge Eabll. ol 1 Cia-giw, a> a thanks ollering lor Hie . Prince ol Wales sale return, bate | given £IO.OOO sterling lor the city s | poor. j PALACE VIEWS - ' tßeceived this day at 10 a.m.') LONDON. Dee 10. j At the Palace, the Bulletin is regarded as reassuring. The fad that there is an improvement in His iln-'e-.ty’.s condition, nib r a restless night, indi. all's the King lias still a good reserve of strength with which to continue lbs light against general infection. It is regarded as satislaetory that his temperature and pulse were not mentioned. The doctors consulted tor an hour and a-hnlf before issuing the hulletin. - The Duke and Duchess of York called at the Palace and accompanied the Queen. Princess .Mary and Lord Las-.’ cellos to service at the Chapel. A BISHOP’S A PIPE AL. , LONDON, Dee. 10. i Roman Catholic Churches in the Nottingham .Diocese, in view of the King’s illness, celebrated Solemn Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The Bishop circularised the clergy: “I beg ol you to exhort the people to pray that His Majesty lie restored to health and Cod to preserve lor many years the precious life ol a justly beloved sovereign. We cannot get on ■ without George V. who has been an j example to all, and a most valuable j head. At a time of the great crisis, through which w<> have been passing, j I personally led the great blow is not going to fall.” EVENING BULLETIN. (Received (his day at 11.25. a.m.) j LONDON. December Kb j A bulletin issued at 8 p.m. states the King had a quiet day and the improvement noted m the morning maintained.