, 1886-02-03
pocToRlNe ROYAL PATIENTS.
Court Etiquette That Hedges I'm a Queen
from Her PhysiciAn'. Touch.

Court etiquette That Hedges I'm a Queen
from Her PhysiciAn'- Touch.
II was n matter OF wonder to many
persons in Paris that DIR. Fauvel, the
great French specialist in throat diseases,
had not been summoned TO attend the
king OF Spain at the Of
his Inalady, especially as DIR. Fauvel had
always attended Queen Isabella and her
children during their residence in Paris
for any troubles OF that nature. But
such a proceeding was forbidden by the
strict rules OF Spanish etiquette, which
prohibits one Of the royal family of Spain
from being attended by any physician
who is not n Spaniard by birth.
At the time of the last illness OF the
young Queen Mercedes there resided in
Madrid a German doctor who was es-
pecially famed for his treatment Of ty-
phoid fever, the disease from which the
queen was suffering. He had recently
saved the life of Mrs. J. X. Lowell when
she was suffering from a violent attack
Of that terrible malady. A few days be-
fore Queen Mercedes breathed her last
her Spanish doctors sent for their Ger
man colleague and requested him to pre-.
scribe for their patient without seeing
her. This he positively refused 10 do,
saying that he must examine into the
physical condition Of the queen before
prescribing for her. But that could by
no mean be permitted.
Then" he said, -let me merely see
her-let me go 10 the door of her room
and look at her without crossing the
threshold"
Even that concession was refused
Then, gentlemen he declared, Il can
do nothing. l will not attempt to pre-
scribe for a patient that 1 have not even
seen"
He withdrew from the palace, and a
few days later the young queen was dead.
But the sacred avs of Spanish regal
etiquette had been preserved without in
f~ringement.
A similar affair, but with a different
denouement, took place a good many
years & in Russia. The late c~zarina,
the mother of the present emperor of
Russia, wa shortly after her marriage
attacked with n serious affection OF the
stomach. Up to that time no physician
could approach the bedside OF one of his
lady patients of the imperial family
nearer han ten feet. The empress grew
worse and became al%armingly ill. The
Emperor Alexander gave orders that n
famous physician called Botkin, Of whose
skill in such cases he had heard, should
at once be sent for. Botkin came, and,
TO the horror of his colleagues, he walked
straight up to the bedside Of the empress
and took hold of her wrist 10 feel her
pulse. He was instantly hurried from the
room and was loudly demonstrated with
ON the improperly OF his conduct. being
told that his imperial patient wa
to be looked at from n distance and that
he must not approach her. Botkin list
enod in silence to all that the other doc
tors had to say, but when the report OF
.he consultation was Drawn up he refused
o sign it. The emperor, who was ex.
eeedingly anxious respecting Botkin's
opinion, sent at once for the report, and
on noticing that the name Of the new doc
tor did not appear in it he caused him to
be summoned at once 10 his presence.
-Hour majesty, quoth Dotkin, frankly,
Il can not pretend 10 treat a patient that
| am not permitted TO examine. The
empress is, l learn, in n very critical stu.
alton. l think | can save her, but TO dc
50 mnst be allowed 10 go to work in my
own way"
The emperor rose from his chair, took
DIR. Botkin by the arm and marched with
him into the sick-room of the empires and
strnight up TO her bedside. There, doc
tor. he said, examine your patient, and
II any one pretends TO interfere with you
remember that you are obeying my com.
mands." The course of treatment pre-
scribed by the great physician proved sue
cessful. The empress was saved and
that particular rule of imperial etiquette
was abrogated forever.-Mrs. Hoopers
PARIS Letter.