Letter from Mrs. Sadie Woodward to Dr. Wallace Graham, with Attached Newspaper Clipping

THE WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, JUNE 31, 1954-3 First Serious Illness for Truman Harry's Doing O. K. After Major Surgery By United Press (See Editorial on Page 22) KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 21-Former President Harry S. Tru- man, progressing satisfactorily after an emergency operation for removal of his gall bladder and appendix, spent an "excellent night," attendants at Research Hospital reported today. The 70-year-old former Chief Executive, suffering the first serious illness of his lifetime, sat in a chair serious. His secretary, Miss Rose briefly while his bed was being Conway, who was with him thru- dressed yesterday. out his presidency, said this is the Brg. Gen, Wallace R. Graham, first serious illness Mr. Truman who performed the surgery, was Mr. ever has suffered. Truman's physician during his ten- Mr. Truman, who has kept busy ure in the White House. He said it since he lef the White House a year was "too early to tell when he'll and a half ago, had his first indica- be able to take a few steps, but it tion of illness Friday night. He won't be today." suffered what he thought was a NO TRANSFUSION stomach upset and was forced to The former President was receiv- leave a production of "Call Me ing glucose and saline solution "and Madam," in which he was to have a lot of other things" intravenously, appeared briefly as himself in the Dr. Graham said, and antibiotics last act. were being administered. He has re- INDIGESTION? ceived no blood transfusions, and "I hope he won't have to have Dr. Graham was called to the any," the physician said. Truman home at Independence and Yesterday, Mr. Truman's tem- blamed Mr. Truman's trouble on perature reached 101, but Dr. Gra- indigestion. ham said that was "not unusual." "It was just something he ate," "The operation was very, very was the first diagnosis. serious," he said. But Mr. Truman continued to be Mrs. Truman assured their daugh- uncomfortable, altho his wife said ter, Margaret, by long distance he felt much better Saturday night. telephone he was doing so well Dr. Graham decided he should go there would be no need for her to to the hospital for tests and diag- travel to his bedside. She told nosis. Margaret to go ahead with her plans for her stage debut tomorrow night. Dr. Graham performed the two hour and 10-minute operation in Kansas City's Research Hospital. Mr. Truman refused to ride to À the hospital in an ambulance be- cause he did not want to cause a 4 "lot of commotion." He also spurned the offer of a wheel chair when he arrived at the hospital. E MANY CALLED The hospital switchboard was : jammed with calls. 1 Only close relatives were allowed to visit Mr. Truman today. "We expected to find trouble with the gall bladder," Dr. Graham said. "What we found additionally was that drainage from the gan- grenous gall bladder had seeped downward and caused a secondary infection of the appendix. So we also removed the appendix. "Mr. Truman's post-operative con- dition is excellent. He was in ex- tremely good shape for this surgery. I think he will be in good shape, ready to leave the hospital in nine or 10 days. ALWAYS HEALTHY During his seven years in the White House, Mr. Truman suffered a few slight colds, but nothing more I Preservation Conv