Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-04-01
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DoctOring Royal Patients. Ed

1t was a matter of wonder to many 4
persons in Paris thai Dr., Fauvel. the
great French specialist in throat dis
eases, had not been summoned to attend
the King Of Spain at the commence mfpe
ment of his malady, especially as DE-
,Fauyel had always attended Queen Isa+
bella and her children during their resi-
.denee4in- Paris faRssaye etpstables sef@that
bidden.bs the NMtt Files 81 spanish
etiquette, which prohibits one of the
royal family of Spain from being at
tended by any physician who, is not
Spaniard by birth. .ulgsY.a,.4 .af,,t
At the time of the lasta illness Lof the
young Queen Mercedes there resided in
Madrid II German doctor. who was espe-i
eially famed for his treatment of typhoid
fever, the disease from which the Queen
was suffering. He had recently saved
the life of Mrs. j. R. 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
prescribe for their patient without seeing
her. This he positively refused to do,
saying that he must examine into the.
physical condition of the Queen before
prescribing forrh her. But that could by
no means be permitted. @ 3ai aa.-
n '.Then," he said, '.let me merely see
dher-let me go to the door of her room
and look at her without crossing the
threshold" .......... ...... 4.a@, cd 5i&
Even that concession was refused. j.
''Then, gentlemen" he declared. Il
can do nothingt ! will not attempt to
prescribe for a patient that | have not
even seem" sag & IN ...s
He withdrew from the palace, and a
few days later the young Queen was
dead. But the sacred laws of Spanish
regal etiquette had been preserved with
out infringement A similar affair, but
with different Nidenouement, took place
good many years ago in Russia. The
late Czarina, the mother of the present
Emperor of Russia, was, shortly after
her marriage, attacked with serious
affection of the stomach. Up to that
time no physician could approach the
beside of one of his lady patients Of the
imperial family nearer than ten feet
The Empress grew worse and became
alarmingly ill. The Emperor Alexan-
der gave orders that q famous physician
called Botkin, of whose skill in such
cases he had heard, should at once be
sent for. Botkin came, and, to the hor-
ror of his colleagues, he walked straight
up to the beside of the Empress and
took hold of her wrist to feel her pulse.
He was instantly hurried from the room
and was loudly demonstrated with on
| the impropriety of his conduct, being
| told that his Imperial patient was to be
| looked at from distance, and that he
must not approach her, much less touch
| her. Botkin listened in silence to all
that the other doctors had to say, but
when the report of the consultation was
drawn up he refused to sign it. g The
Emperor, who was exceedingly anxious
respecting Botkin's, opinion, sent at
once for the report, and on noticing g
that the name Of the new doctor did
not appear in il he caused him to be
summoned at once to his presence. as
/ .sYour Majesty" quoth Botkin frank.
ly,HI can not pretend to treat Al patient
thatI am not permitted to / examine.
The Empress is, learn, IN a very criti
cal Situation \ 4 thnkI can save her
but to DO SO 7 must be allowed to 60 tc
WORK in. my own, way. .pa9a8a1gGA haE
/ The kEnlpefoiJ rose from his chair
took DIR. Botkin- by the arm and march