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HT This Day: March 06, 1953 -- Marshal Stalin’s condition graver
Moscow Radio announced in a mid-afternoon bulletin today that M Stalin’s condition was “ graver,” his blood pumping system had collapsed and his pallor increased.
Moscow Radio announced in a mid-afternoon bulletin today that M Stalin’s condition was “ graver,” his blood pumping system had collapsed and his pallor increased.
The Soviet doctors added in their second bulletin of the day that his pulse was now 120 instead of the normal 72.
For hours M Stalin has been lying in a deep coma with oxygen being pumped into his lungs to keep the flicker of life burning.
The bulletin said. “Blood pressure dropped, the pulse became more rapid and the patient became paler. As a result of intensified medical treatment these symptoms were alleviated.”
The bulletin added: “During the night and the first half of the day on March 5 the condition of M Stalin deteriorated.”
“In addition to the cerebral haemorrhage detected earlier, there has now been a sharp disturbance of the ear functions. On the morning of March 5 serious breathing trouble was experienced for three hours, which responded only with great difficulty to appropriate therapy.”
“At 8 a.m. symptoms of a sharp deficiency of the blood pumping system were observed (a collapse).”
But no Soviet source has dropped any hint to support speculation that he is already dead.
The first 2 a.m. bulletin went into great medical detail on the progress and treatment of his three-day old illness.
DAY OF PRAYER
A winter a sun over a silent snow-covered Moscow this morning heralded a day of prayers for M Stalin fighting for life.
With the dawn came the end of a night of anxious watching. As daylight grew, lights that had burned throughout the dark hours in the Kremlin’s apartments and offices flickered.
Though the shadow of death hung over the Kremlin, everything seemed normal as the Soviet capital stirred under a blanket of snow. Snow-sweeping machines cleared the city’s main roads. Janitors were busy as usual cleaning the pavements in front of houses
All through the night spotlights behind Lenin’s tomb flicked out the Red Flag.
Believers of all faiths, Catholics and Jews offered special prayers last night and today for the life of the Soviet leader.
The Chief Rabbi of Moscow, Mr Solomon Schiffer, proclaimed today as a day of fasting and prayer for the Jewish community. Last night he led them in a prayer for “our dear leader and teacher.” Moscow Cathedral was packed for last night’s service Old women, their heads swathed in white shawls, sobbed as they prayed. Many worshippers prostrated themselves before the great ornate altar with its hundreds of lighted candles.
Patriarch Alexius, of Moscow and all-Russia, led the congregation in praying for M Stalin’s full recovery.
“All Russian people--all people everywhere-pray to God for the health of the sick,” the Patriarch said, his voice echoing through the great cathedral.
There were cries of Amen from the worshippers as he praised the Soviet leader for what he had done to further Church welfare.
In light snow yesterday afternoon a long line of people filed silently across Red Square to visit Lenin s tomb.
Similar services were held at orthodox churches as well as Jewish synagogues and Muslim mosques across the nation.
Throughout the morning Moscow citizens had queued up at the newsstands and bought all copies of the papers carrying the announcement of the Soviet leader’s illness.
Men and women, civilians and army men, crowded around billboards along the main streets where copies were pinned up.
Many gravely shook their heads. The queuing was orderly and there were no signs of panic.
TEXT OF BULLETIN
The following is the text of the 2 a.m. bulletin:
During the past day the state of health of J. V. Stalin remained grave.
The haemorrhage of the brain, which occurred on the night of March 1, on the basis of the hypertonic disease and atherosclerosis led, together with a paralysis of the right side extremities and loss of consciousness, to an affection of the truncus cereba with a derangement of the major functions-respiration and blood circulation.
During the night of March 3 disturbances of respiration and blood circulation continued. The biggest changes were observed in respiration: phenomena of periodic (so-called chain stokes) respiration became more frequent. In this connection the state of blood circulation grew worse and the degree of oxygen insufficiency increased. The systematic administering of oxygen as well as medicaments regulating resipration and cardiac vascular activity gradually improved slightly the condition and in the morning of March 4 the degree of respiratory insufficiency somewhat declined.
RESPIRATION DIFFICULTY
Subsequently, during the day on March 4 grave derangements of respiration reoccurred. Frequency of respiration: 36 per minute.
Blood pressure remained at a high level (210 maximum and 110 minimum) with an improper (arhythmia perpetua) pulse of 108 -116 beats per minute. The heart is enlarged in a moderate degree. No substantial changes in the lungs as well as in the organs of the abdominal cavity were established during the past day. Albumin and red blood corpuscles were found in the urine which is of normal specific gravity. An analysis of the blood showed an increase in the number of white blood corpuscles (up to 17,000). The temperature in the morning and in the afternoon was high, up to 38.6 degrees Centigrade.
Treatment measures during March 4 were applied in the form of oxygen inhalation, the administering of camphor preparations, caffeine, strophanthin and glucose. Blood was drawn off again by leeches. In view of the heightened temperature and high leucocytosis penicillinotherapy was intensified (it was. being applied for prophylactic purposes since the beginning of the illness).
By the night of March 4 the state of health of J. V. Stalin remained grave. The patient is in a soporose (deeply unconscious) state. The nerve regulation of respiration as well as cardiac activity remain sharply disturbed.
(Sd.): Minister of Public Health of the U.S.S.R., A. F Tretyakov, Chief of the Medical and Sanitary Board of the Kremlin; L I. Kuperin; Chief Therapeutist of the Ministry of Public Health of the U.S.S.R., Prot P. E. Lukomsky; Member of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Prof. N. V. Konovalov; Member of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Prot A. L. Myasnikov; Member of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Prol E. M. Tareyev: Corresponding Member of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Prof. L N. Filimonov; Prof. L S. Glazunov, Prot A. A. Tkachev: Docent V. L Ivanov-Neznamov.
This morning’s bulletin was not repeated by Moscow Radio after it was first broadcast at 2 a.m. (Moscow time). Yesterday’s bulletin had been rebroadcast hourly until 9 a.m. after being first broadcast at 2 a.m.
CALL TO PEOPLE
Pravda today gave Russia the watchword-”Unity, fortitude and vigilance now when the calamity of Comrade Stalin’s illness has befallen the Soviet people.”
Pravda and other Soviet papers prominently published today’s medical bulletin on Stalin’s health.
In an editorial headed “The great unity of the party and the people,” Prauda said:
“Comrade Stalin constantly emphasized that the party could not lead the working class and direct it from victory to victory if it were not linked with the non-party masses-if there were not solidarity between the party and non-party masses.”
The Soviet social system unites Communists with non-party people in a single common collective unit. “
In these unhappy days of Stalin’s illness, every Soviet man of fervent feeling adheres to the word of the Government. The community has confidence in the party, and the entire Soviet people will show the greatest unity, fortitude and vigilance.”
Enumerating historical events when the Communist Party was fully supported by the people, Pravda recalled the time “when the Nazis encouraged by the American millionaires, invaded the Soviet Union.”
“It was the party which transformed the whole country into a military camp,” Pravda said.
“It is now the task of the party and the people to double their efforts to reach the targets assigned by the plans of Communist construction.” Pravda’s two inside pages contained at least three full length articles devoted to Stalin’s achievements. One was reprinted from a Chinese magazine. The other had dealt with his contribution to the increased productivity of Soviet workers.
