Burlington Daily Free Press
Burlington, July 21, 1903
A telegram was received this morning from Mrs. S. L. Griffith at San Diego, Cal., saying that probably Mr. Griffith could not live but a few hours. Coma had set in and the physicians gave no encouragement that he could recover. The first news of the serious turn to Mr. Griffith’s illness came Saturday night when Mrs. Griffith sent a telegram asking W. H. Griffith, a nephew of the ex-senator to come at once. He left immediately but probably cannot reach San Diego before the death of his uncle.
Mr. Griffith has been ill for over a year and for a time last summer was critically ill with typhoid fever and other complications. He recovered but never got his system cleared of disease and went to California in the early winter hoping that the change in climate would benefit him. He had spent the winter there and in June went to some hot springs in Mexico but received very little benefit from treatment there. He had returned to his estate that he purchased in San Diego last winter when he was stricken down with a fatal attack.
In a response to a query from the Free Press Mrs. Griffith wired from San Diego last evening the following regarding the condition of Mr. Griffith:
“Mr. Griffith is in a critical condition. It is a typical case of pityriasis rubes. His lungs and kidneys are affected by oedemic uraemia. There is almost no hope of recovery.”
The skin disease (pityriasis) has closed the pores of the skin and being unable to throw off the secretions of the body uraemic poisoning has developed.