Johnson Much Better

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30879, 12 October 1965, Page 21

Johnson Much Better

(N.Z P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) BETHESDA (Maryland), Oct. 11. President Johnson will probably begin seeing top government officials in his hospital suite today as he continues his surprisingly rapid recovery from a gall bladder operation. Members of his staff and a small group of reporters who saw Mr Johnson yester-

day said he was obviously eager to “get back into harness.” The President himself said he felt “pretty good,” though still tired and a little weak. He added that he planned to see official visitors this week, but on a selective basis. Mr Johnson has been fed intravenously since Friday’s operation; he ate his first solid food on Sunday. He ate a big dish of strawberry jelly before the start of a special Sunday church service in his suite. He looked thinner, perhaps a bit drawn, but he had a ruddy colouring. It is expected that the headquarters for bulletins about

Mr Johnson’s condition will be moved today from the hospital back to the White House itself.

Privately, some of Mr Johnson’s aides said they doubted that he would stay in the hospital as long as the 10 to 14 days previously estimated by his physicians. But they emphasised that even if the President did return to the White House early his activities would be limited for the next six weeks.