Mrs. Douglas Robinson, President Roosevelt's sister, returned from Europe yesterday on the Saxonia suffering from a severe cold and badly run down. Mr. Robinson went down to the steamer on the revenue cutter, and stayed in his wife's cabin until the Saxonia reached her pier. He assisted Mrs. Robinson to a closed carriage which was waiting. She was pale, and apparently too weak to walk unaided.
    Mr. Robinson at first refused to talk of his wife's illness, but finally said:
    "Oh, we believe it is an attack of grip. I don't care to say anything more."
    He was asked if it were true that an operation on his wife had been performed on the voyage.
    "I believe she had to have a boil lanced, but I am not sure," he said.
    It was learned, however, that during the voyage W. T. St. Stephens, the ship's surgeon, had lanced a troublesome boil on Mrs. Robinson's neck.
    Dr. Daniel W. Wynkoop, Mrs. Robinson's physician, said last night that she had no specific complaint, but that her health was much broken. Instead of improving during her stay in Europe she was unable to rest, and the damp weather aggravated the cold which she had when she left this country. On the voyage she could not sleep, and was troubled with neuralgia.

Source:

Unknown, "President's Sister Sick," New-York Tribune, Wednesday, 29 October, 1902, page 7.