Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-02-23
From the New York Express.
HOW THE BLACK DOCTOR CURED THE
FIANCEE OF A RICH YOUNG AMERICAN

Since the conviction of the black doctor, NJ.
de Vries, and his condemnation to fifteen
months Imprisonment and fine of five hun
dred francs on charges of quackery and swind-
ling, the French papers have been filled with
anecdotes about his career. The following,
told under date of January 18th, by the special
Paris correspondent of the Independence Beige,
concerns young and beautiful lady, now
resident of the Quaker City.
Mile Alphonsine de Virze, daughter of rich
landholder of Burgundy, was attacked by
cancer in her right breast. All the Physicians
in her department, and those of Montpelier,
had abandoned her case in despair, and adj
Vised her to come to Paris for treatment M.
de Virze brought his daughter to Paris in the
month of January 1858. She consulted the
most celebrated physicians of the faculty, who
all gave but one opinion-the amputation of
the right breast was absolutely necessary, and
even at this sacrifice, the unhappy young girl
would only retard an inevitable death-accord-
ing to the doctors. Six months were wasted
in ruinous and useless consultations in ineffica-
cious treatment and in despair. Pain the fair
young creature did not fear. Without exactly
being being an Amazon, Mile, de Virze would
have consented to sacrifice that portion of her
charms SO inconvenient to RETAIN in javelin
practice had it not been that she was in love.
She was engaged to young American, who
preferred to die rather than submit to the op-
Grafton So she resigned herself to death, and
renowned all treatment.
Shut up alone in her apartment, she counted
her last days and passed them in prayers
Meanwhile her .faacee, Mr.. Arthur Ashbell,
of Philadelphia, who had commission from
one of his friends to procure him some Sax
horns for the United States market went to
Mr.. SaXs house to attend to the business. Al
though suffering horribly, already having a
monstrous tumOr upon his lip, NJ. Sax, re-
ceived Mr.. Ashbel The affair of the Sax
horns being concluded, Mr.. Ashbell inquired
concerning Mr.. Sax's affliction, and took
lively interest in it as soon as he learned that
the famous artist was suffering from a cancer
Surprised at the constancy and courage of Mr.
Sax, he asked the reason.
81 am brave" replied Sax, "because man
can suffer all things l am not discouraged,
because hope to recover"
"Then the physicians have not abandoned
you2"
COIL" said Sax, "the doctors I should
have been dead already if l had not aban.
doned them"
"What treatment have you, then
81 have placed myself in the hands of the
Black Doctor"
"What Black Doctor"
Sax posted Mr. Ashbell as to the Black Doc.
ment commenced the Doctor forewarned him
that his disease would apparently grow worse
until the eve of perfect cure Mr.. Ashbell
asked permission to watch the progress of the
cure, telling Mr.. Sax the reason why ; and the
latter readily consented. AT the end of fifteen
days Sax's tumor increased in size, the it burst
and fell off. Sax was cured.
AshbelI sought out the Black Doctor, and
brought him to see Mile. Virze After having
fhn bo no md
Mr.. Ashbe
"Me warrant cure in two months Made.
moselle be cure, and right breast be pretty
like left"
"What price do you demand to cure her 2"
asked her father.
Give hundred francs for every thousand
francs of income you have" said the Doctor.
81 have twenty five thousand francs year,"
replied the father.
"Then you give me twelve thousand five
hundred francs six thousand when me begin,
the rest after the cure"
at is a bargain" said the father
"Me want to make photograph Mademoi-
sele breast" was the next demand of the Doc
tor.
'To show the physicians, who will deny
that me cure her"
"My dear Doctor" said Ashbell, 81 have
also an income Of twenty-five thousand francs,
upon which we will base your fee. You shall
thus have twenty-five thousand instead of
twelve thousand five hundred francs but l
impose one condition"
"What is that 2"
You shall not make any reputation out of
the sufferngs of my Alphonsine. You shall
cure her modesty. You shall make her can.
Ger disappear without any more talk about it
than if it were simple headache or a vulgar
indigestion"
That hard condition for me- Because"
"Well?"
"Well, agree. You give me TWENTY-FIVE
thousand francs if me cure her, and me no saw
nothing to nobody"
From the month of November to the month
of January, Alphonsine de Virze followed the
the treatment of the Black Doctor. In the
middle of January the disease suddenly took
frightful development and activity. The
wretched woman suffered the pangs of mar
tyrdom, but she suffered without complain