“DISABILITY TRANSITORY”

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28446, 28 November 1957, Page 15

“DISABILITY TRANSITORY”

Neurologists’ Report WASHINGTON, Nov. 26. Two neurologists reported this evening that President Eisenhower’s present disability “is mild and transitory in nature.” The White House announcement said: “The President has had an occlusion of a small branch of a cerebral vessel which has produced a slight difficulty in speaking. “There is no evidence of a cerebral hemorrhage or any serious lesion of the cerebral vessels. “The difficulty in speaking has improved in the last 24 hours and is now manifested only by a hesitancy in saying certain difficult words. Reading, writing and | Rasoning powers are not affected.” The first medical report today Was signed by Major-General Howard Snyder, the President’s personal physician, and MajorGeneral Leonard Heaton, commanding. officer of the Walter Reed Army Hospital, who performed the stomach operation on Mr Eisenhower in June, 1956. It said: “At 1 p.m. yesterday, upon the President’s return to the White House following the reception at the airport of the King of Morocco and the parade through Washington to the President’s guest house, the President told Mrs Eisenhower and General Snyder that he felt a chih. “He went to his dressing room and when he lay down to rest, asked for an additional blanket and a hot water bottle. “The President went to his office at 2.40 p.m. after his rest period and lunch. “He did not feel well, and returned to his dressing room, where General Snyder joined him. He undressed and went to bed, and again asked for an additional blanket and hot water bottle. “General Snyder was joined by the assistant White House physician and subsequently by Colonel Francis W. Pruitt, the consultant in internal medicine in the office of the Surgeon-General of the Army, General Heaton, General Mattingly (an Army heart specialist), and Lieutenant-Colonel Roy E. Clausen, jun., chief of the neurological service at Walter Reed Hospital. Difficulty in Speaking “Examination by these physicians disclosed the President’s temperature to be normal, blood pressure to be 130/80, and pulse 64 and regular. He had no abnormal signs or symptoms other than a mild asphasia (difficulty in speaking). “The President had no headache, nausea, vomiting, impairment of consciousness or breathing, convulsions, stiffness of the heck, paralysis or abnormal reflexes. “The President, following mild sedition, slept through the afternoon, except during examinations, and did not awaken until 8 p.m. at which time he enjoyed a light supper in bed. "General Snyder later repeated the mild sedation. The President went to sleep at 9 p.m. and slept quietly till 5 a.m. “The physical and neurological examination again showed no abnormalities other than slight impairment in speech. This had improved perceptibly during the intervening hours. “■Hus confirms our original diagnosis that the President suffered an occlusion of a small branch the middle cerebral artery on the left side. “It cannot be determined at this time whether the condition Present is one of a small clot or a vascular spasm. All the findings indicate no brain hemorrhage.”