Better Than Yesterday

Improvement in McKinley’s Condition Reported in 2:30 Bulletin.
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RALLY AFTER COLLAPSE
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There Is a Better Response to Stimulation and He Is Conscious.
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SALINE INJECTION HELPFUL.
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This Morning’s Improvement Arouses Renewed Hopes, but Another
Attack Is Dreaded.
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LITTLE NOURISHMENT TAKEN
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Summons to the Cabinet and Roosevelt—Physicians Say There Will Be
Hope If They Can Pull Patient Through To-night.

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     Milburn House, Buffalo—The following bulletins were issued by the President’s physicians to-day:
     9 A. M.—The President’s condition has somewhat improved during the past few hours. There is a better response to stimulation. He is conscious and free from pain.
     Pulse, 128; temperature, 99.8.

P. M. RIXEY. M. D. MANN. ROSWELL PARK. HERMAN MYNTER. EUGENE WASDIN. CHARLES G. STOCKTON.

George B. Cortelyou, Secretary to the President.

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     “12:30 P. M.—The President’s physicians report that his condition is practically unchanged since the 9 o’clock bulletin. He is sleeping quietly.

“GEORGE B. CORTELYOU,     
“Secretary to the President.”     

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     2:30 P. M.—“The President has more than held his own since morning and his condition justifies the expectation of further improvement. He is better than yesterday at this time.
     “Pulse, 123; temperature, 99.4.”

     Milburn House, Buffalo, September 13—There is a chance for the President’ life.
     His family, the two members of the Cabinet who remained here, Senator Hanna, Colonel Herrick and others who arrived by special trains this morning, are in the drawing room of the Milburn house watching the clock and listening to the pendulum which may be ticking away the seconds of the life of the nation’s chief executive.
     All realize that only a slender hope remains and all dread a sudden attack of heart failure, which might bring death.

Mrs. McKinley Does Not Know the Real Truth.

     Of all the sad household only the wife does not know the real truth.
     She surmises that the President is worse, for she was told this morning it would be better for her not to enter the sick chamber. She assented, but it was with a look of mute appeal in her eyes.

President Seems to Realize That His Life Hangs by a Thread.

     The President himself seems to realize that his life hangs by a thread, although he has not yet been told how slim the chances are. This morning he looked out of the window. When the nurses sought to adjust the pillow to keep out the light he murmured a feeble protest.
     “It is so beautiful,” said he, “the trees are so beautiful. I want to see them.”

Eminent Heart Specialists Summoned.

     The doctors, it is needless to say, are doing all that medical science and skill can do to save the President to his country. W. W. Johnston of Washington and Dr. Janeway of New York, two of the most eminent heart specialists in the United States, have been summoned to lend their skill and counsel, and Dr. McBurney, the noted surgeon who left yesterday, has been recalled.
     He advanced the theory before he left that the accelerated pulse might be due to the after effects of the shock of the first bullet against the breastbone, now manifesting itself for the first time.

Everything Prepared for the Worst.

     The President’s condition, generally speaking, is fairly satisfactory, and upon this is based the hope for his recovery. If the heart action can be controlled and strengthened, the crisis now existing would pass. But everything is being prepared for the worst.

Roosevelt and Cabinet Summoned.

     Vice President Roosevelt and the absent members of the Cabinet have been telegraphed for and are speeding here as fast as steam and steel can bring them.
     When the sinking spell occurred about 2 o’clock this morning it was feared he might expire at any moment, as he did not respond to ordinary stimulants. It was only when recourse was had to the desperate resource of injecting saline solution, which saved Mrs. McKinley’s life in San Francisco, into his veins that the circulation grew stronger and after an hour he rallied somewhat.

Slight Rally Brings Renewed Hope.

     His pulse at one time was almost 140. But the slight rally came and returning hope with it. With the fresh energies of daylight the President appeared perceptibly stronger, and the physicians announced in their 9 o’clock bulletin that his condition was improved. The pulse had fallen several points from the highest and they affirm the existence of hope.
     Dr. Mann declared most emphatically that it was absurd to say the President was dying.

Hope of Recovery If Patient Is Carried Through the Night.

     Toward 1 o’clock the Associated Press was definitely informed that the physicians believed if the President could be carried through the night there would be hope of his recovery.
     The administration of nourishment has been practically discontinued, as the rectum is much irritated and does not retain the enemas. Only a small amount of nourishment is consequently retained.

President Very Weak; Heart Trouble Not Clearly Understood.

     The President is very weak and the heart trouble is not thoroughly understood. It was the belief that Drs. Johnston and Janeway, the heart specialists, might be of service in elucidating the exact trouble that they were sent for. They are both expected to-night.
     The President is in constant danger of a sudden sinking spell and complete collapse.
     At 2:45 P. M., Colonel Alexander announced with a smile a slight improvement. He said:
     “The bulletin is coming. The President is better.”
     It is understood that pulse is 123 and temperature 99.05.