'MUCH EXHAUSTED' PRESIDENT MAINTAINS 'NORMAL BUOYANCY OF SPIRIT'
San Francisco (JFK+50) On August 1, 1923, five physicians attending President Warren G. Harding at his suite in the Palace Hotel* here in San Francisco issued an official statement which states that the President although still "much exhausted...maintains his normal buoyancy of spirit."
Their statement continues...
"his breathing is less labored and there is but little cough. Small amounts of food are being taken...and there is regular and satisfactory elimination."
Mr. Harding's temperature as of 10:10 a.m. Pacific time was 99 degrees F., pulse 114, and respiration 30.
Secretary of Interior Dr. Hubert Work**, reports the Evening Star, told reporters that every symptom exhibited by the President pointed to "a most pleasing progress."
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Evidence of Mr. Harding's improving condition includes a drop of 1 degree in temperature, 6 beats per second pulse rate and respiration 10 breaths per minute from a day earlier. His respiration, however, was still 10 bpm higher than the maximum normal level (12-20 bpm).
*Palace Hotel is located on the SW corner of Market & New Montgomery Streets in San Francisco, CA. The original structure of 1875 boasted 755 rooms & was the largest hotel in the Western U.S. It was demolished after the 1906 earthquake & rebuilt in 1909.
**Hubert Work (1860-1942) was born in Marion Center, Pennsylvania & earned his MD at the University of Pennsylvania 1885. HW served in the US Army Medical Corps in WWI & was RNC chairman 1928-1929.
Dr. Work was the first physician to be appointed to a presidential cabinet. He served as Postmaster General 1922-23 & Secretary of Interior 1923-1928.
SOURCE
"President Receives News Thought Certain As Progress Goes On," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., August 1, 1923, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/
