Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-07-18
AFTER DR.. MACKENZIE.
The German Physicians Comment on the
Emperor's Case.

Inc German Physicians Comment the
EmperOr's Case.
BERLIN, July 10.-Dr. Bergmann, in
his report on the case of Emperor Fred
wanted to open the patients larynx and
excise the growth on the left vocal
chord. A small operation promised the
best results. Of seven such operations
which he performed in Berlin, all were
successful. There was no cues
ton of the total extirpation of
the larynx. The operation would
neither have endangered the life of the
patient nor would it have destroyed his
voice, although it would have left it
hoarse. At that time. in an ineligible
voice. Frederick said: "Dr. Bergman,
this tumor must be removed. If it can
not be done on the inside, cut from the
outside" Everything was ready tor
the operation when the plan was vetoed
by DR.. Mackenzie, who repeated his as
surance that after a few weeks of his
mild treatment the patient would recov-
CT his voice and be able to command the
autumn military manHuvres. DIR.
Bergman censures DR.. Mackenzie for
defective manipulation of the larynx,
for affording no guarantee that he ever
reached the growth and for trying to
shift the responsibility upon Prof Vir-
chow. He also blames DIR. Mackenzie
for influencing the press through COM
municatiOns about the details of the
Emperor's illness.
DIR. Gerhardt, acting under the direc-
tons of the other German doctors who
attended the late Emperor Frederick,
has drawn up and to-day makes public
report stating that early in 1887 the
German physicians pronounced the dis
ease from which he was suffering to be
or cancerOus nature. They decided
to open the larynx and preparations
were made to perform the operation on
May 20, when DR.. Mackenzie saw Fred
erick and declared that the disease was
not cancer and opposed an operation.
DR.. Mackenzie removed a portion of
the growth. which Prof. Virchow
examined, but there was no proof
that the piece was taken from the act
ually affected part DR.. Gerhardt exam
med Frederick's throat after the piece
bad been removed, and accused DR..
Mackenzie of removing a piece from the
unaffected part of the throat instead Of
from the diseased part. DR.. Mackenzie
replied that it was possible he had done
so. The German doctors protested
against DR.. Mackenzie's treatment
throughout. Prof. Won Bergman cor
roborates DIR. Gerhardt's statements,
and gives the reasons why he lost con-
fdence in DIR. Mackenzie.
In his report DR.. Schroeder says that
he first examined the patients throat
In November, 1887, and decided that he
was suffering from cancer so far devel-
oped as to make it necessary to extir-
pate the larynx. DR.. Mackenzie, he
says. then admitted that the growth
looked like cancer, but Frederick re-
ected the plan of extirpation because
of the risks attaching to it. The Ger
man doctors thereupon signed delcara-
ton placing the responsibility of the
case upon the physician who overlooked
the growth, even contrasting its exist
ence, till too late.
The FreisinnIge-Zeltung says: "The
report on the late Emperor Frederick s
malady leaves the impression of being
a partisan statement rather than 8
scientific medical opinion, as it does
not contain the opinions of the En-.
glish physicians or their German ad-
herents. Even the most partial reader
cannot acquit it of one-sidedness.
LONDON, July 10.-Dr. Mackenzie. in
an interview to-day, said that the report
of the German physicians on Emperor
Frederick's malady was a tissue o
falsehoods, and that any specialist in
laryngeal diseases would see that the
review Of the case was ridiculous. The
doctor said that in the course of few
days he might enter into details as tc
the character and conduct of the case,
but for the present he must remain
silent for state reasons, principally con
corning the Dowager Empress Victoria