In Memoriam [White]

DR. J. H. KELLOGG’S STATEMENT

I first learned of the illness of Elder White about 4 o’clock P. M., Tuesday, August 2, when I received a message from him requesting me to visit him at his residence, which I immediately did. I found him suffering with a very high fever, the pulse being 112, and the temperature 103-3/4’F. I learned that at about 10 A. M. of the same day he had suffered with a very severe congestive chill.. At this time his head was greatly congested, and he complained of severe pain in the spine, extending into the lower limbs. He seemed to be greatly prostrated, and was very restless. Treatment to relieve the fever and pain was immediately ordered, and administered by a bath attendant from the Sanitarium. After a short time copious perspiration appeared, and he was greatly relieved. IMJW 17.2

At 8 P. M. I saw him again, and found his pulse diminished to 96, and his temperature to 101’. At 11:30 P. M. his fever had entirely subsided. IMJW 18.1

At 8 A. M., Wednesday, I saw him again, and found him free from fever, but greatly prostrated. He had some appetite, however, and ate a light breakfast. IMJW 18.2

The fever arose in the afternoon, and at 2 P. M. reached a temperature of 102-3/4’, one degree less than the day before. He suffered less pain than the day previous, but complained much of the heat, the weather being very warm. The tendency to cerebral congestion was very marked, and there was some pain in the head. IMJW 18.3

In the evening he felt much better, though very weak, and in accordance with his wishes and my urgent advice, was removed to the Sanitarium on a bed placed in an easy hack. He passed the night comfortably, and felt free from pain in the morning, but was very weak, and would take no food. IMJW 18.4

About noon, on Thursday, he began to show symptoms of fever again, but the temperature rose only to 101-3/4’. The pulse was rather weak, however, and in the evening, after the fever had subsided, became for a short time very rapid. He slept well through the night, however, and in the morning stated that he felt much better, though weak. He ate a light breakfast with relish, and expressed himself as feeling very comfortable and wholly free from pain during the forenoon, but took no dinner. IMJW 18.5

Early in the afternoon he became somewhat feverish, though less so than on any previous day, and by 7 P. M. his temperature was only slightly above 100’. He seemed inclined to doze much of the time during the day, as on previous days during his sickness. IMJW 18.6

At 7:30 P. M. several friends called upon him, but talked with him only a little, as he seemed inclined to sleep. IMJW 18.7

At 8 P. M. I examined his pulse, and remarked the same peculiarity observed the previous evening, — weakness and unusual frequency, although there was no fever, neither any evidence of chill, the body being warm. He expressed himself as feeling entirely comfortable, but inclined to sleep. About five minutes later I examined his pulse again, and observed a slight irregularity. Strong stimulants were immediately administered, and Mrs. White and a number of special friends were advised that his condition was critical. IMJW 18.8

The grave symptoms grew rapidly worse for an hour, notwithstanding the most vigorous efforts which could be made by the use of stimulating and restorative means of every sort, which were ready at hand. The pulse became exceedingly rapid, reaching 160, and was very feeble and extremely irregular. The respiration was short and labored. The pupils were dilated almost to the extreme limit. Still the body was warm, and there was no evidence of chilliness, but the tendency to collapse from failure of the heart seemed irresistible. Consciousness was not entirely suspended, as he was able to answer any brief question intelligently. This condition continued without apparent change until about 3 A. M., when a slight improvement was observed which continued until at 6 A. M. the pulse was regular at 112, and the respiration much stronger. Up to this time constant efforts had been made to keep him awake, but now he was allowed to drop asleep. He took a little fluid nourishment, and steadily improved for several hours. IMJW 19.1

At 10 A. M. he was able to converse a little in brief sentences, but his pupils were still dilated, and the symptoms of paralysis of certain portions of the brain, which had appeared in the night, continued. IMJW 19.2

We felt strongly the conviction that, should he live, his mind would possess but a shadow of its former strength. The same conviction fastened itself upon Mrs. White, who had entertained but slight hopes of his recovery from the commencement of the attack the previous evening. Fearing a repetition of the preceding evening, we apprised the friends of the impending danger, and set a careful watch over him in order to detect the first symptoms of collapse. IMJW 19.3

About 1 P. M. his pulse suddenly began to increase in frequency, and soon became very feeble and irregular. Within thirty minutes he became unconscious, and his pulse rapidly rose to 176, and his respiration to 60 per minute. His temperature was 99’, one-half degree above the normal temperature. The same measures used with the previous attack were again employed, but without effect, and he remained in the condition described until he breathed his last, just after 5 P. M. IMJW 19.4

During the last few months Elder White had expressed himself as feeling remarkably well, and until within a few days of his decease there had been no indication of any contrary condition. Two weeks before his death, Elder White attended a tent-meeting at Charlotte, Mich., at which he contracted a severe cold through a sudden change in the weather. Upon returning home he complained of a sensation of pressure in the chest, and seemed apprehensive of impending sickness. One week before his death, upon returning home, after assisting in the services at the Tabernacle, he seemed greatly exhausted; and after this each day found him a very little worse than the preceding, though he continued to engage in his usual duties, until the disease which was incubating in his system finally culminated in an attack of malarial fever, which assumed the pernicious form sometimes known as “congestive chills,” a disease which is only equaled in gravity by such maladies as cholera, yellow fever, and the plague. IMJW 20.1

The case presented some strange and very remarkable features, which are only explicable upon the supposition that the severe shocks of apoplexy which he had suffered during the later portion of his life had so seriously impaired certain portions of the brain as to render him unusually susceptible to the malarious poison to which he had been exposed a short time before his death. IMJW 20.2

With the concurrence of the friends, we called in consultation Dr. Millspaugh of this city, whom we found in entire agreement with us in reference to the condition and the appropriate treatment. IMJW 20.3

No one, unless it be his bereaved family, can feel more keenly than we the loss of one who has been to us for years a father and a friend. To no one else have we been personally indebted for so many acts of kindness and so much wise counsel. We mourn not only for the irretrievable loss which the cause must sustain, but for a personal loss which cannot be repaired.* IMJW 20.4

J. H. KELLOGG, M. D.