il sober-minded
observers who had seen the celebrations of the Queen's Jubilee and the
Diamond Jubilee and knew something of the millions then gathered
together were dismayed at the prospect of the massed multitudes of
Coronation day. It was at 12.45 P.M. on June 24th, when the streets were
packed with moving, happy, holiday crowds and the decorations were
nearing completion and their full effect and force becoming apparent to
the on-lookers, that an official bulletin was posted at the Mansion
House which seemed to reach every one in London at the same instant--so
rapidly was the news spread. News that almost on the steps of the
throne, within a day of the mightiest festival ever designed by human
government and helped by a willing people, the King had been stricken
down! It appeared incredible. The people of England and of the Empire
were almost as dumb-founded as the masses on the streets of the
Metropolis. But there was no way of getting beyond the simple words of
the bulletin signed by Lord Lister, Sir Thomas Smith, Sir Francis
Laking, Sir Thomas Barlow and Sir Frederick Treves: "The King is
suffering from perityphlitis. His condition on Saturday was so
satisfactory that it was hoped that with care His Majesty would be able
to go through the ceremony. On Monday evening a recrudescence became
manifest rendering a surgical operation necessary to-day."

The trouble approximated to the disease known in the United States and
Canada as appendicitis and was of a character which made certainty as to
recovery quite impossible and left the widest scope for fears and
discussion and speculation. It was analysed by Dr. Cyrus Edson, a
well-known New York physician, as follows: "Perityphlitis is
inflammation, including the formation of an abscess of the tissues
around the vermiform appendix and hence it is very hard to distinguish
from appendicitis. Usually an operation is necessary to ascertain
whether the appendix or the surrounding tissue is diseased." The King's
physicians gave the public all the information they wisely could. The
operation was performed by Sir Frederick Treves, the most eminent living
surgeon in this connection, shortly after the first bulletin was issued
and at six o'clock it was announced that "His Majesty continues to make
satisfactory progress and has been much relieved by the operation." Five
hours later the physicians stated that the King's condition was "as good
as could be expected after so serious an