PROSPECT OF LONG AND DIFFICULT STRUGGLE

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 1, 13 December 1928, Page 6

PROSPECT OF LONG AND DIFFICULT STRUGGLE

COURSE OF KING’S ILLNESS , EXPLAINED. THE PRESENT POSITION. MORE DEFINED AND HOPEFUL,

(Received 12.55 p.m.) LONDON, December 12. An official statement issued at Buckingham Palac e to-night, though timed 3 p.m., states: To make clear the nature of the long, exhausting illness it is necessary to state that genera! blood infection and tovaemia were in the first two weeks prominent features and caused at one time ■ grave anxiety. Moreover, the case had not presented characteristics typical of pleural pneumonia. Seven days" ago the evidences of general infection become less prominent and the blood cultures were . steril/e, though all medical men will know that sterility of blood cultures is f not conclusive evidence that general infection has ceased. During (the last five days the temperature has again risen tC‘ a higher level, yet_ ,the pneumonic and pleural signs became at the same time less marked, and neither a pleural puncture nor the study of the new excellent radiograms disclosed any appreciable effu- , siou. Seeing, however, that the , original pleurisy had involved the ■ diaphragm a careful watch was kept* for tire formation of fluid between th.jf lung and the diaphragm and i its extension to the posterior pul- 1 monary surface. » This morning there were signs of this development, accompanied by increase leucocytosis. By an exploratory puncture at the exßreme right of the posterior base a purulent fluid was obtained which contained the organism morph, logically resembling those previously found in the blood stream. Drainage will now be performed. Though this pleural localisation ! of the infection, /so anxiously anticipated and looked for, makes the direction of the advance more defined and hopeful, there is still a prospect of a long and dif'ficult sitruggle.—Australian Press Association, United Service;.