INTENSE UNEASINESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20583, 5 December 1928, Page 9

INTENSE UNEASINESS

KING’S FIGHT FOR LIFE. FIRST MIDNIGHT BULLETIN. DOCTORS REPORT TO CABINET ANXIOUS CONCERNING HEART. (United Free* Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyrlgdt.) . . LONDON, December, 5. It is impossible , to disguise the fact that the. King s illness has -taken a serious turn. This is emphasised’ by the fact that a bulletin was issued at midnight for the first time. It is understood that in addition to. the bulletin the doctors transmitted a-report to the Cabinet. The King’s household admits that the situation is most serious.. It is stated authoritatively that as far .is it is humanly possible to say there is no valid ■ reason . why there should be any change m the King’s condition for the next 12 hours.—Australian Press Association. THE HOME SECRETARY. BRIEF CALL AT PALACE. LONDON, December 3. Reports from other sources confirm the statement that there is a better atmosphere- at the Palace. The . doctors’ keenest desire at the. moment is that the King should maintain his strength in the ■stern fight agajnst the malady. Sir William Joyneon-Hicke (Home Secretary) made a brief call at the Palace and left with his face wreathed in smiles. <( sip William Joynson-Hicks later stated; I do not want tq deceive you or to say. that the illness is over or anything of that kind. Things were, serious last night, but there is undoubtedly a ' feeling in the air that the. King is better to-day than he was yesterday.” , . v The Queen remained at the Palace all day. She was joined at tea by the Duke and Duchess of York.—Australian Press Association. MR BALDWIN A VISITOR, CONVERSES WITH DOCTOR. • • LONDON, .December 3. The. doctors paid, asecond ,yisit,;fo. the King. at noon. Mr ' Baldwin yisted the Palace at. 12.30, .and lengthily 'conversed with Lord' Dawson. He did not see the King of Queen, bat talked" with the Duchess of York, • . Lord Dawson made a third visit at 2.45, and remained for half an hour. The Duke and Duchess .of York have cancelled their, visit ,to Birmingham tomorrow. •' v ■ , A big . organ .in'- a" Tottenham Court road shop played *' God ' Save the'King ” as the employees were arriving - toldayj and MOO people, from the managing director downwards, joined in the singing.—Australian Press Association—United Service. - / -’ / ' PATIENT’S TEMPERATURE. ■ •■ , NOW, NEARER; NORMAL.: ; ; ’- ; , ; •,V ' : - LONDON, December 3. A bulletin issued:, at 6.15 pirn, 'states' that . the slight improvement in his Majesty s, condition, noted, this morning, is maintained. " His temperature, is nearer normal, but it is necessary to emphasise that the .ahxiety concerning, his heart StUI persists.—Australian Press Association—United • Service., CROWDS AT PALAtE ckm. ■ GREATER' EVER.' LONDON, December 3. Although every effort' was made both in the official bulletins and the newspaper comments to allay anxiety, the doctors’ further reference to their anxiety regarding the strength of his Majesty’s- heart hi to-iiight’s bulletins,‘ has caused intense uneasiness .‘to: the: nation. The crOWdsi at the Palace- are greater: than yesterday, being- undeterred by- the r mist. and icbld drizzle.. A special force of mounted police appeared to-day to regulate the traffic. This morning’s feeling of, relief has been replaced by renewed anxiety. , The position- was, accurately, summed up by Mr Lloyd George when presiding at a dinner of-the English. Speaking Union: “ I -have never in the whole of my life witnessed - such • intense- • concentrated anxiety-by all-classes of ;the population.”' Lor the first time since-the King’s illness .anxiety -prevailed on the -Stock- Ex-, change. Thus far it had had little effect on the actual business, but nevertheless the psychological part is slowing down speculation. The Evening Standard, editorially, says: ‘‘ The point of greatest danger has been reached. Unable to help, we watch from Australia,. Canada, and Africa.” It recalls how ... ill-placed chance found-’'the Royal Family -scattered .and the . Queen thus: deprived of- the support -of her sons during a -crisis which - to . a wife" -and mother, as well as a Queen, is a sore affliction.Mr Clynes, in a special article in the Daily Express, says: “ The scenes outside the Palace express the solidarity and dignity of the national character, and are the. truest, tribute to one of the world’s most correct and responsible rulers. It has often been said that the. Empire is a republic disguised with a crowned head, no more, than a figurehead. In. times like the. present the. speciousness of the remark is seen in its truest light, for the personal attributes of the monarchy, so easily and so unconsciously taken for granted, are realised at a time of crisis, and mean’ very much to everyone regardless of party, policy,' or class.” The Daily Express says- it was stated in well-informed circles to-night ; that the pleurisy had disappeared.—Australian Press Association. ■ ANXIETY IN ROYAL CIRCLE. ADMINISTRATION OF OXYGEN. ■LONDON, December 3. Lord Dawson and Sir Stanley Hewett saw the King at 6 p.m. They were accompanied by Sir Humphrey Ilolleston and Sir Farquhar Buzzard. It was almost 9‘ o'clock before the bulletin was completed. The Central News states that Lord Dawson and Sir Stanley Hewett are remaining at the Palace. The Duke and Duchess of York returned to the Palace, and may remain for some time.

It is understood that the King’s condition to-night caused much anxiety to the royal circle. There is considerable concern at the Palace.

The; Daily Express’s medical expert points put that. the administration'. of oxygen is a:seridus measure, because.there is no object in giving oxygen unless the lungs are incapable of extracting it from the atmosphere. There is no advantage in, oxygen except when, the inspiration ..ia so. feeble .that the patient cannot, obtain the necessary amount in the ordinary way.—Australian Press Association.

THE PRINCE OF WALES. ARRANGEMENTS FOR RETURN. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 3. It is officially announced that the prince of Wales will leave the cruiser Enterprise at Suez and cross" Egypt by train. He will continue his journey homeward in the cruiser Frobisher, which will convey him from Alexandria to Brindisi.. Thence his Royal Highness will travel overland, most probably via Turin (Italy), Modane (Franco), and •Paris. ■SIGNING OF STATE""PAPERS. COMMISSION APPOINTED. LONDON, December 4. (Received Dec. 4, at 10 p.m.) The parliamentary correspondent of the Daily Telegraph understands that the Government is considering the appointment of a. commission under the Great Seal Act during the King’s illness, as he is at present unable to sign State papers.—Australian Press Association. PROBABLE PERSONNEL. LONDON, December 3. (Received Dea 4, at 11 p.m.) The Daily Mail says that the commission. to sign State papers during the King’s illness will probably consist of the Duke of York, Lord Hailsham, Mr Baldwin, and the Primate.—United Service. ■ A NIGHT without, -news. - LONDON, -December 4. (Received Dae. 4, at 11 p.m.) , The night passed without news. All is .quiet at the -Palace,—Australian Press Association. . ‘ CROWDS AT PALACE GATES. RICH AND POOR MINGLE.' ' LONDON, December 4. (Received Dec 4, at 10.15 p.m.) ' Several times between 6000 people were at the Palace gates Fashionably dressed women stepped from cars and mingled with poorer persons, all being equally to. read the bulletin. A woman fainted in the sudden crush, and a policeman carried her an ambulance. Two women arrived in a saloon car and knelt in prayer after the chauffeur had brought the news. The scenes "after the theatres were similar to those on the previous nights, and eevry motor car seemed to go homeward via the Palace. The daily spectacle seems to have impressed all the foreign correspondents. The Gatdois (Paris) describes it as “a characteristic phenomenon and a great lesson. /The King is not so much in the eyes of his , people a sovereign, he is rather the head of the British family. The Petit Journal; similarly add?: ‘‘ The person of the King is the kernel not only of England, but of the British Empire, and represents something unchangeable round-which the vast British system revolves.—Australian Press Association. FALL* IN TEMPERATURE., NQT NECESSARILY A GOOD SIGN. LONDON, December-4. (Received Dec. 4, at 10.30 p.m.) " “ The medical correspondent -to the Daijy Chronicle states: “In a measure anxiety haq diminished (luring the 24 hours. The blight fall in temperature: may ■be offset against the gravity of the condition of the heart, which shows fatigue, and of the lung; which demands the stimulus of oxygen. In such conditions a-.fall in temperature is not, necessarily a,,good sign, A high temperature is a defensive measure, and a vigorous febrile response, to infection is -a good sign, as it shows fight. When the response tires the temperature .falls, which means that the defences are fatigued, and progress towards recovery 1 .is stationary. Everyone now realises that the King is struggling for life, but patients have rallied and recovered from conditions infinitely more critical than those displayed by his Majesty.’’— -Australian Press Association;; •- , THE LATEST BULLETIN " A QUIETER NIGHT.” LONDON, December 4. (Received Dec, 5, at 1.20 a.m.) A bulletin issued at I 30 a.m. read as follows:—“The King passed a quiet night, though anxiety concerning the heart must continue, Tim improvement noted last evening is so far satisfactorily maintained.”—Australian Press Association. A GRATEFUL -PATIENT. GIFTS ACKNOWLEDGED. LONDON, December 3. (Received Dec. 4, at 9 p.m.) ", The King, despite his' illness, caused a letter of thanks to be sent to the Birkenhead Sea Wolves for a gift of flowers, and one to London flower girls for a similar gift.—Australian Press Association. SERVICE OF INTERCESSION. ST. GILES’S CATHEDRAL.. LONDON, xjeceinber 3. (Received Dec. 4, at : 9 p.m.)A service of humble intercession is to be held in St. Giles’s Cathedral, Edinburgh, to-morrow, which the Lord Provost, the magistrates, and other public men will attend.—Australian Press Association. THE FRENCH PRESS. FREQUENT BULLETINS. . PARIS, December 3. (Received Dec. 4, at 9 p.m.) The newspapers continue to give prominence to every detail of the King’s illness, bulletins being printed in heavy leaded" type.—Australian Press Association. ' LOCAL ANGLICAN CHURCHES. SPECIAL INTERCESSIONS. In the absence of the bishop from the diocese, the dean requests the clergymen to, have special intercession for the King at all services.