Kennedy May Need Back Operation

Press, Volume C, Issue 29539, 14 June 1961, Page 15

Kennedy May Need Back Operation

(N.Z Press Assn.—Copyright/ NEW YORK, June 13. President Kennedy might require another back operation, the New York “Herald Tribune” said today. The newspaper said this was the most pessimistic outlook if the President’s condition did not improve in “several weeks,” according to one neuro-surgeon, who preferred to remain unidentified.

In spite of official announcements to the contrary, , Ute there was a chance that his latest back Injury was a recurrence of his old Injury, u. pnv.» doctors m Washington as saying.

One surgeon said the odds were one to 20 that the new injury was a return of the old trouble.

Whether he would need an operation would not be known for a long time, a second doctor said. He thought it was most possible

that the Presidents pain came from a “low back strain" as officially reported, the “Herald Tribune” said.

“But, if—and again this is the most extreme view—an operation is required, it could mean three months on his back for Mr Kennedy, plus another three months of semi-mobile convalescence before he could return to a full work load in his office.” the “Herald Tribune” said.

Yesterday the President—using crutches—rode in mechanical lifts to board and leave the aircraft that brought him from Palm Beach. Florida But the White House said he was continuing to show improvement from the back

strain he suffered in Canada at a tree-planting ceremony IvlSy 10. Governor John Volpe, of Massachusetts, a guest at the luncheon yesterday for the wards that the President had used crutches and was “actu-

allv hobbling.” The “New York Times" quoted the President's Press Secretary (Mr Pierre Salinger) as saying the President

probably would be on crutches most of the week. The newspaper said that Dr. Janet Travell. the President's doctor, was satisfied with his progress.

Football Injury The "Herald Tribune” said that the President’s trouble started with a football in-

jury. It was aggravated when his torpedo patrol boat was run down by a Japanese destroyer in World War 11. After an operation in 1954. with the help of novacaine injections and a lift in his left shoe, the President had been free of the pein. But in Canada, while shovelling

dirt at the ceremony, he wrenched his back. Dr. Travel! had said that an unstable joint "fused” in the 1954 operation could have been damaged. President Kennedy winds up his two days of talks today with Mr Fanfani, as the

United States intensified efforts to tighten Western unity. While the Italian-American talks came to a close officials of the Kennedy Administration were preparing for important new talks with diplomats from Britain, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. and South Vietnam.

The British Foreign Secretary (Lord Home) and the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Dr. Dirk Stikkei» were to arrive tonight on separate missions. Their talks with the Secretary of State <Mr Dean Rusk) and other Cabinet Ministers, were to begin on Wednesday. The chief security official in South Vietnam (Mr Nguyen Dinh Thuan) was having consultations at his country's Embassy before starting a series of conferences tomorrow about American aid to Saigon in combatting Communist guerrillas. In spite of hip lack of mobility. President Kennedy planned a busy day. beginning with a breakfart meeting with Congressional leaders. Some of his engagements have been transferred to residential sections of the White House, to save the President from moving about more than necessary.