Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-26
ASTOUNDING SURGICAL CON-
DUCT
Mackepzie's Indictment of the German
Doctors

| LONDON, Oct. l4.-Sir Morrel Macken
zies book is just out and is being bought ii
thousands. Mackenzie is the eminent Lon
don throat specialist who was one of the
surgeons in attendance on the late German
Emperor during his fatal illness. His book
| is defence of himself against the attacks
of the German doctors and the German
press charging him with incapacity and NAL
practice. He retorts upon his aecusers in
mastery style, declaring that by their blum
dering and ignorance and bad management
of the case the death of the Emperor was
| brought about.
The hook commences with complete ac-
| count OF his connection with the case from
| May of last year, when he was frs hastily
summoned. He records the early operations
with a view to decide the nature of the
| disease and the various conferences which
settled nothing. Sir Morrel condemns Ger
| hardt's Zone of the German Doctors fire.
quent cauterizing of the diseased parts as
| lacking in science and asserts that if the
growth was benign Gerhardt's burning
actually converted the growth into cancer
The change commenced in November. The
growth appearing malignant, Mackenzie in
| formed the Prince, who received the news
with heroic calmness and simply said, 81
have been fearing something of the sort.
The operation of tracheotomy was performed
| by DIR. Bramann (German) with wonderful
success, although the wind-pipe was opened
a little to the right of the middle line.
Mackenzie records the events of the fatal
| day, April ~, and throws an enormous
/ n De- tl,nv
of the German doctors) Who was summoned
in order to change the tube. Sir Morell ex-
planned that he was obliged by etiquette to
summon Bergman, owing to the position OF
that surgeon at the German Court. Sir
Morell now regrets bitterly that he yielded
to the demands of etiquette instead of chang
ing the tube himself. Bergman, according
to Sir Morell, arrived after much delay. He
| was greatly excited and behaved in a sur.
prising manner and seemed hardly accounta
| bic for his actions. Between the lines i,
would seem that Sir Morelrs charge dis
tinctly means that Bergman was drunk OF
partly So
So brntally, at least so bunglingly, was
the operation per ormed by Bergman that
| the Emperor could not breathe. A spasn
shook his frame, which a terrible fit OF
| coughing alone relieved. This produced
bleeding. Bergman had forced the tube
| through the tissues instead of guiding il
through the orifice, producing false pas
sage. He then pushed his finger into the
wound, giving the Emperor intense pain
Bergmann's assistant, DR.. Bramann, wa.
then summoned and further torture avoided
Bramann passing the tube easily. Aftel
Bergmann's departure the Emperor imploret
that if any further operations were made
another surgeon should be employed. Mack
enzie said he would resign if Bergman wa,
allowed to touch the throat again.
1t is easy to understand that such
statement of facts from such a high
source, must produce a marked sensation
in Germany. Medical political and pop
ular circles manifest a deep feeling, ant
in other European countries take an in
terest in the revelation made Of German
surgical roughness. Those well Informed
as to the almost brutal manner in German
universities among medical and military
students are inclined to believe fully wha
DIR. Mackenzie says as to the kind o.
treatment to which the late Emperor wa
subjected. 1t seems probable, however
that he has exaggerated the facts, stung b,
the bitter persecution which he received
in Berlin from German physicians ant
officials. The testimony of DR.. Wicklow
very high authority, of whom DR.. Macken
| statements of the latter in his book &c
beyond the truth, which at best appears
to be unfavorable enough to German
humanity.