The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-16
MACKENZIE's DEFENSE.
Bergmson and virchow Accuse the English
man OF Ignorance and Malpractice.

Bergmson and virchow Accuse the English
man OF Ignorance and Malpractice.
NEW YORK. Oct 15.-Tbe Herald this morn
ing publishes Berlin dispatch giving interviews
with Profs. Bergman and Virchow in relation
to DR.. Mackenzie's book. In response TO an in
quiry as to what ho thought Of Mackenzie's de-
Tense, Bergman said:
peror Frederick was i'll We would not give de-
tails Of his case to the public" said the Pro-
fessor. "By We l mean the German physicians.
This course was made difficult TO US. the
English political and medical newspapers COW
cred Us with abuse. When the Emperor Fred
erck died, the minister of the royal household
asked us 10 publish the reports made by US dur
ing the Emperors illness. This is how the Ger
man doctors reports came to De published, and
l am happy to find that il has been translated
into English. Hero is o copy. Every English
speaking m3n or woman can now judge the case
on its merits.
what Mackenzie now brings forward Is so
trifing that icscarcely seems TO deserve an on
swer. Against the remark Of Mackenzie that he
keenly feels the unseemliness OF n controversy
to cause additional suffering to hearts already
sorsly tried, have nothing to say; but 10 regard
to the charges. amounting to malpractice, that
Mackenzie says were brought against him by
the German doctors ps mphlet, we, the German
physicians, do not hesitate in saying that Mac
kepzie's treatment OF the Emperor did amount
TO malpractice, inasmuch as both diagnos and
treatment displayed gross ignorance of medicine
in general. His whole knowledge of anatomy
and pathology begins and ends in the larynx.
''iu his defense be overlooks the fact that his
accusations against me fall TO the ground in the
presence OF the testimony OF Profs. Vircbows
and Waldeyeris post-mortem examinations.
Mackenzies defense casts doubt on the capabili-
ties of bis German colleagues. but Virchow's
post-mortem clearly established the fact that
nhAf1 Eagh md lOf ne had has nj
correct in our diagnosis OF the Emperors mala-
dy. The who allowed the fttest time aud
opportunity OF arrestine the Emperor's disease
10 slip away was the famous larynxoloeist Mac
kenzie. He may pen whole libraries to escape
this reprosch, but in vain. Had the operation
been made the kronprinZ in May. as 1
wished, his Majesty Frederick III might just
as we'll as not be alive now, as are the four pa
tients referred to in our report, upon whom The
operations successfully performed. Sci
ence shows as to-day that every cancer that is
small and operated on in time Gao be perma-
nently removed, but f the cancer becomes
large the operation must fail. IL is entirely
Mscken zie's fault that the operation de-
layed until the small cancer had grown into q
large one.
'Gerhardt and Tobold wore quite right not 10
use the forceps, as the history of the Emperor's
case shows that the piece removed by Macken-
zie Led to false deductions. The piece was pro-
nounced healthy, while the post-mortem re-
vesled cancor. Mncksp1ies lack of goocfa!
pathological knowledge WAS the cause OF THIS
mistake, and of bis not knowing why Profs
Tobold and Gsrhardt would not remove piece
of the growth. The charges against Gerhardt
absurd that they only find their
PLANTATION in Msckenzie's despair When a
naughty little boy is tripped up and thrown
down by a bigger boy, II he finds be lacks
strength TO continue the struggle be screams and
spits and abuses his tormeptor. After reading
his defense am convinced be will be deserted
by the few friends be could still lay claim to-
''You ask why we Germans did not. as Mac
kenzie suggests, make q separate report OF our
own. We did 1t is the one made to Count
Stolbere. minister of the Kings household. and
to Won Lauer the body surgeon OF Emperor
William l. 1t is reproduced in pamphlet, under
the title Of the 'Emperors Illness Dr. Wegnell
wrote out q report OF our last meeting with Sir
Morell, and IL reposes now in the house miuis-
tsrs' archives In il you will find the words.
Prof Won Bergman most emphsticay de-
clared the disease to be cancer This shows that
judged the case correctly. It was my nisfort-
upe that the august patient aud his royal con-
sort had more confidence in Mackenzie than in the
three German physicians. This misplaced con-
fdence brought the late Emperor to an early
grave. / will not speak of what took place In
Englsnd or at San Reno up TO the time
trach sotomy was resortsd to- At that time DR..
Landgraf. Of whose awknardness Mackenzie
speaks so sharply noticed the growth of the
cancer from week tn week while the distin.
euished specialist, Mackenzie. failed to notice
the fact until it was too late to do any good
NOW, ABOUT tnaC crooked cut or bramann.
My answer is THE. The cut WAS made exactly
in the middle. Mackenzie told Prince Henry of
Prussia, at San Reno. himself. that the opera
tioD had been admirably performed. In regard
to the choice OF tubes, II the operation of ira
cheotoDy had to De made. SO far as to cause n
wound directly over the breast bone, a short
tube can not be used. need not defend myself
to members of the medical profession who
know tho operation. Mackenzie is aware of
this himself, and his attacking my judgment in
the selection OF the tube wss simply intended to
deceive the laity-the outsiders. Any medical
man would see the shallow pretense at once.
NOW, in regard to the very serious charge
made against me with regard 10 what took place
on April IL, when / said to have plowed
deep wound in the Emperor's throat, aud caused
Inflammation in the cellular tissues between
the trachea and the sternum. or breast-bone-
again | am CON PEELED to the belief that Macken-
Zie failed TO grasp the meaning Of Virchows
post-mortem report wherein no mention occurs
of any such infammationl On the contrary,
the cellular tissues lying back of the breast
bone the anterior mediasterium, showed ev-
idence of cicatriZation. but only of purely nor
NAL conditions. The post-mortem showed the
immediate cause OF death. The ;nflammation
| OF the lungs was shown to be OF recent date. /
| then asked Prof Virchow, in the presence OF
| the numerous witnesses who signed the report
! when this inflammation Of the lungs might have
| been supposed to have begunl The Professor
answered: Certainly not more than two
| weeks ago-probaby not more than six or
| saw the diseased lung and still dared TO main
| tain that manipulation OF mine, made eight
| weeks bAfors, was tie direct cause of the EN-
perors death No medical man would believe
| this lie, but the creduious and ignorant among
| the general public may, and make one OF the
| German doctors responsible for the sad result.
The course OF the disease in the Emperor
! Frederlcks case ran the usual course of every
cancer of the larynx: First little wart-like
growth that gradually grows larger and larger,
and finally involves the entire cavity OF the
larynx; then, when the patient no longer
draw air into the LUNGS. tracheotomy becomes
necessary Later on the hard swelling ia the
| lasynx softens, becomes gangrenous and decays.
| corrupt matter dropping into the lungs. pro-
| dueiug Inflammation. of which the patient dies.
This was the with the Emperor
| Frederick. The post-mortem showed
the whole larynx to have been eaten
away. In its place was a great cavity filed with
| prs aud lchor. This is all simple that | vent
| ure to say no medical man in either Europe or
America would, after reading the German re-
port, fall TO come to Just conclusion about the
case, Dr. Mackenzie always expected. If no
| post-mortem had been made Mackenzie would
| have been free TO insist on all the statements
his vivid imagination and bad conscience
| lschlechtes gewisseu) could suggest, but after
the pCst-mortem, sic haben seine luegen kurZe
| beins-his lies have but short legs Mackenzie
says that the Emperor Frederick told him he
had no confidence in me. That may or may no,
be true. but it in wise affects the facts in
| the case"
| The Herald correspondent had noticed in the
handsome house on the Alexander Ufer photo