SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 December 1928, Page 5

SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT

THE KINO’S ILLNESS.

CONDITION A LITTLE BETTER. RETURN OF PRINCE OF WALES, (Australian Press Association —Unitea Service.) LONDON, Dec. 12. The. King obtained some hours’ sleep, and the slight- improvement noticed late last nignt has been maintained, stated a bulletin issued at 10.30 a.m. His Majesty’s general condition is a little better. The Central News says the King was better during the night, and was able to secure some refreshing sleep. There was a slight improvement in the general conditions. The anxiety which reached a climax on Monday burst with last night’s bulletin, and this moming”s unofficial news was better reading than any for the past week. Coinciding with the Prince’s return it is regarded as a happy omen. Although authoritative circles do not regard to-night’s bulletin as reassuring, the “Daily Express” medical correspondent says that although the bulletin does not mention the temperature, the fact that the King had a quiet day suggests his temperature is satisfactory. Other items were encouraging, and they were justified in regarding it as a distinctly good bulletin.

Sir William Joynson-Hicks, reading the bulletin at an Imperial Club dinner, said: “I am sure we rejoice at even the slight additional hope that to-night’s announcement gives _us.” It is understood the Queen is fulfilling the Tower Hill memorial engagement to-morrow. Princess Mary attended a charity concert at Green Park Hotel to-night. The fact that the Prince of Wales saw his father to-night is taken as a reassuring sign, while an authoritative announcement just before midnight that there had been a slight change for the better in the King’s condition is the most encouraging announcement for two days. PRINCE’S RECORD-BREAKING DASH. Ne;t to the King’s illness nothing has aroused the nation more than the x'rince of Wales’s record-breaking dash ending at London at 10.18 to-night. The feeling of the country is crystallised in tne newspaper editorial comments. The “Daily Express” says: “The country is ol but one opinion, that the Prince on the journey did the right thing in dropping everything and hastening without ceremonial and witt all possible speed to his father’s bediide. He acted as became the son of iuch parents. Fellow subjects who have watched every stage of the headlorg homeward rush with anxious sympatny are profoundly thankful he is new where he should be.”

The “Morning Post” says: “The Pince’s return will be greeted with a sgh of relief by the nation. The Irince never ran a more wonderful xace than the headlong 6000 miles jrom Dar-es-Salaam to London. He ■aced for nine days against his father’s illness, and that he should win may be taken as a good omen. The Prince’s cheerful courage and youthful optimism will be good medicine for the invalid and a great consolation to a sorely tried Queen. MINOR OPERATION PERFORMED FLUID REMOVED - FROM BASE OF LUNG. SHORT /IMPROVEMENT IN CONDITION.

Received 10.30 a.m. to-day. LONDON, Dec. 12. A little past noon the Prince of Wales drove up to Buckingham Palace heavily muffled in a large overcoat as a precaution against the unpleasant weather, in contrast to the sunshine of Africa, The Duke of York, who called lor the Prince at York .Bouse, accompanied him. A large crowd greeted the princes at the palace gates. Sir Stanley Hewitt and Lord Dawson remained at the palace until one o’clock, and returned at three accompanied by Sir Farquhar Buzzard and Sir Humphrey Rolleston, when they saw the King again. Sir Hugh Rigby, His Majesty's honorary surgeon in ordinary, was summoned in the afternoon.

Much secrecy surrounded a minor operation performed on the King in the morning. Very few, even in the palace, knew the reason. Lord Dawson and Sir Stanley Hewitt remained so lone/ with His Majesty that the bacteriologist arrived in the afternoon before the bulletin was issued at 3.20. This read: “A slight improvement in the King’s condition was noticed in the morning. His strength is maintained. Some virulent fluid around the base of the right lung was removed by a puncture this morning and further drainage will be necessary.”

POSITION MORE HOPEFUL. QUEEN FULFILsTeINGAGEMENT. UNVEILS SEAMEN’S MEMORIAL. Received 11.35 a.m. to-day. LONDON, Dec. 12. It has been officially announced that though it is anxiously anticipated that the localisation of the infection makes the direction of the advance more defined and the position more hopeful, there is still in prospect a long and difficult struggle. Prayers for the King have been arranged daily at noon at Westminster Abbey till further notice. The happiest news from the palace was the Queen’s statement that she would fulfil her engagement at Tower Hill to unveil the mercantile memorial, thus emphasing a note of hope that the great anxiety which prevailed at the palace yesterday and Monday has appreciably lessened. The most satisfactory feature of the bulletins to-day is the lowered temperature. Not. only did the Queen at Tower Hill unveil her first memorial, but her voice was heard over the wireless lor the.first time. Despite the weather, thousands gathered along the route to show appreciation of the Queen’s action in keeping her appointment. The seamen s memorial is engraved with the names of 12,086 officers and men who gave their lives. It lias been erected by all the Governments of the Empire through the Imperial War Graves Commission. After the Queen had unveiled it, the Archbzishop of Canterbury dedicated the memorial. RESPONSIBLE POSTS. HIS MAJESTY’S DOCTORS. PROMINENT IN PROFESSION. Naturally a heavy responsibility rests on the King’s medical advisers,

the chief among tiiem being Lord Lawson of Penn and Sir Frederick Stanley Hewett, wiio were first called to attend the. King. Lord Dawson, wiio was Pnysician Extraordinary to tne late King Edward, and has neen King George's pnysician since, 1907, was educated at University College, London, and studied medicine at tne London Hospital. He was an assistant on the staff there in 1896, and. since 1906 has neen pnysician to the hospital. He has written many articles for medical journals on various subjects connected with his profession, and has published text books and edited others. He practises in Wimi>ole Street. He was knighted in 1911 and created Baron Dawson of Penn, Buckinghamshire, in 1920. Lady Dawson was formerly Miss Ethel Yarrow, a daughter of Sir Alfred Yarrow, head of the well-known firm of builders of torpedo boat destroyers. Sir Stanley Hewett was born in 1880 and was at Haileybury and Caius College, Cambridge, where he took his medical degree in 1906. He has held various appointments at St. _ Thomas’ and the West London Hospital. He was Surgeon Apothecary to the late Queen Alexandra, and has held this position to King George since 1914, and to the Prince of Wales since 1923. He is a bachelor.

Sir Edward Farquhar Buzzard, who was called in to consult, was appointed regius professor of medicine in Oxford University on January 1 last. He is Physician Extraordipaary to the King. He was educated at Charterhouse and Magdalen College, Oxford, from which he proceeded to St. Thomas’ Hospital. He was a member of the Oxford University Association football eleven, 1892-94, of the Old Carthusian eleven, which were the winners of the Amateur Cup, 1894 and 1897, and of the London Senior Cup, 1895, 1896, and 1897. Throughout a strenuous career, in which lie has risen to the top rank in his profession, Sir Farquhar has not lost his keen interest in outdoor games. He is to-day a physician to St. Thomas’, and one of the most- considerable of British neurologists, with a distinguished record of practice and research behind him. He has written extensively on neurological subjects. Ill's genial and steadfast nature have endeared him to his own profession and to a host of friends.

Sir Humphrey Rolleston, who was called in to consult, has been a Phy-isician-in-Ordinaiy to the King since 1925. He has been regius professor of physic at Cambridge University since 1923, and is consulting physician to the Royal Navy and to various London hospitals. He was bom in 18G2 and educated at Marlborough and St. John’s College, Cambridge. He studied medicine at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, and has bad a most distinguished career. He has been president of the Royal College of Physicians, of the Royal Society of Medicine, and has been on various State commissions and medical hoards. He has written medical treatises, and with Sir Clifford Allbutt edited the well-known work “A System of Medicine.” He was created a baronet in 1924.