KING’S WILL TO LIVE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 553, 4 January 1929, Page 1

KING’S WILL TO LIVE

Physicians Confident

RESTLESS NIGHT, FAIR DAY

Long Statement Issued

1 United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Associationi (United Service) Reed. noon. LONDON, Thursday. THE King's doctors issued the following bulletin at 11.15 a.m. to-day:— ”His Majesty passed a restless night. There is no change to be reported in his condition.” A bulletin which was issued at 8 p.m. said: — ’’The King had a fair day. There is no change in his condition.”

The restless night referred to in the morning bulletin has caused no misgivings at the Palace. The fact that despite two such nights recently his Majesty maintained his condition appears to indicate now more reserve of strength. The doctors’ morning consultation was shorter than usual. Lord Dawson of Penn visited the King in the afternoon. No statement was issued.

AN OFFICIAL REVIEW “WILL TO LIVE IS THERE” DIFFICULTIES EXPLAINED MESSAGE TO MEDICAL MEN (Australian and .V.Z , Press Association) (United Service) Reed. 9.44 a.m. LONDON, Thursday. An authoritative statement, addressed to the medical profession and for publication in the “Lancet” and the ’’British Medical Journal,” was issued from the Palace to-night. It says: “For a true understanding of the position. it must be emphasised that neither in its inception nor in its subsequent course has the King’s illness conformed with what is called pleuropneumonia. Rather was it streptococcal septicaemia, which, by a fortunate happening, localisec at the base of the right lung, first imperfectly and later as an empyema (fixation abscess), forming between the base of the lung and the diaphragm. “In the second stage illness, the clinical picture (dusky appearance, dry cracked tongue, delirium subsultus, exhaustion) was that of severe toxemia, resembling that of a case of severe typhoid fever. So now the picture is that of the aftermath of a severe general infection.

“The empyema wound is now clean and is steadily diminishing in size, and the discharge from the pleural cavity is of small amount, and the streptococcus which has grown from

, the pus (identical with that originally 'found in the blood) is diminishing in | potency.

“Ensol has been effective in local | application. Though through the ; courtesy of an American college a | supply of Dakin's solution, electrolyti- ; tally prepared, has been recently rei reived, there is no opportunity to use ; it, because the necessity of any such ! local application has passed.

AN ANXIOUS PROBLEM “On the other hand, the disinclination to take food, the dryness of the tongue, the low blood-pressure, the weakness and wasting, and notably the King's exhaustion, though slowly improving, will long be an anxious problem. It will be readily understood that while the exhaustion state is pronounced, the margin of reserve power must be narrow, and the small setbacks inevitable at this stage have a correspondingly more severe affect. “It is important that the public should not interpret such setbacks or reports of no change as relapses. “During each week there will be ups and downs. The progress will consist of a slow, increasing predominance of the ups over the downs. “One of the inevitable difficulties of the illness is to convey to the public a true picture, neither too bright nor too dark. It is for this reason, among others, that the courtesy of the medical Press is valuable, in order to convey through their readers to the public fuller information, and thus avoid the risk of misunderstanding.

“Regarding nourishment difficulties, it will be understood, when it is stated that there is a disinclination to most foods and a dislike to many, that the King's weakness is necessitating nourishment given by a nurse with a feeder. Adequacy of nutriment, both in quantity and variety, iR being secured, though not without difficulty. Moreover, the combating of the loss of weight, which has been notable, depends not only on the food taken but that digested and assimilated. Here again exhaustion tells its tale.

TRANSFUSION REJECTED “The blood pressure has fallen too low. The calcium content of the blood has lately considerably decreased. The administration of calcium, parathyroid extract and strychnine has apparently been beneficial. The same is true of the ray-therapy which is being continued. “It need hardly be stated that th<question of transfusion has received lull consideration. In an illness of (his complicated character, indications for transfusion must be clear. Ti should be remembered that the most skilled procedure in its employment in this case would entail risk.

“The striking results of transfusion in cases of anaemia, due either to haemorrhage or infection, are apt to lead to its employment in other conditions without adequate consideration of the pro and cons. It is sufficient to repeat that in this grave illness, transfusion has been fully considered and put aside at the present stage as definitely undesirable. Moreover, the red blood must count as one of the most hopeful features, for .whereas in the early days of the illness it was as low as 2,900.000, to-day the count has reached 4,300,000.

“Though there is an increasing sense of the burden of the illness, the King's will to live is there. Owing to his exhaustion, the course must be long and at present anxious. Nevertheess improvement and progress are taking place slowly but surely enough to justify a hope that the King will be restored to his people.” It is semi-officially stated that, although the doctors are unable to report any change in the King's condition during the past 24 hours, it ,'s understood that this stationary period is merely to be regarded as one in which there has been no upward movement.

The authoritative medical statement indicates that the doctors are prepared for such a position. The situation is not unsatisfactory as long as an advance follows.

Dr. Howitt and Dr. Woods again applied ray-therapy after two days’ discontinuance of this treatment. The Prince of Wales dined with the Queen. Sir Stanley Hewitt stayed the night at the Palace.