New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-24
golden THANKS"
PHYSICIANS FEES IN MANY CLlMES-NE"'
RUSSIAN LAW on THE SUBJECT.

o,aotion with the astonishing ukase Just issued
br ,be Czar regulating and restricting within GER
tain narrow limits the fees demanded by mcuicai
nractitioners for their services. By many IL VIII
be considered one of those pat"rna' pieces u
antocrotjc Iccislation-few and far between
which III a certain measure PALATE ana eAcuSc
desnotism But by the doctors themselves 1t Is
bound TO be regarded in the light oil an aco
of unworrantable interference and outrageous
tyranny thoroughly in keeping with the persccu-
tion Of tine Hebrew race and other phases oil MUS
covite barbarsm According TO the decree III qu'e-
tim Tho popnlation of the Empire is divided INTO
th,oo senaratc classes the one composed ol INC
| nohles the capitalists, the landowners, the mahu-
factlrers, the bankers, the principal merchants
and members of the first six classes oil 'he CIVIL
military and naval service The secohd CLASP
comprises lawyers, parsons ana professional i''n
of one kind and another, as well as "oVerhnie,i'
omnlovcs If the seventh and eighth grades while
GLASS rumher three consists Of the balance Oh
| Tho ronpI,tion For patients belonging 70 the
| fire. class the fee is limited by law, and under
severe penalties TO live rubles, or - 49, ioi
| each consultation; those forming paft Vi '"o
| second class are instructed under no cIcun
stances to pay more than three rubl"s' or - o.
while the cost Of medical advice 70 the ii'a''e'
is limited to thirty kopecks, or ~ CENTS
Should this law be enforced, as the N1ar mas
.vorosssd his determination of doing, it will
necessarily involve the ruin OF many oi 'ne
leadinc musicians at ST. Petersburg and Moscow,
uho have becn accustomed TO charge and to
,eceiye> not five or three ruhes or thlrW
kono,s hut hundreds and even thousands oil
| dollars for n single consultation. Of course IL
| will be optonal for patients TO give expression
| +o their Gratitude for medical care by paying
| mpcb larger fees. but the doctors will DO hence
| form, debarred from presenting any claim 1or
| comnensation in excess Of the sum prescribed Dy
| the uliase.
| It. NAV be taken for granted that this ukass
would never have been issued had old Dr. Botkine
been still alive He was the favorite ana most
trusted physician Of the late Czarina, ana as
such stood high in the good graceS OF her son.
| Alexander ILL., The doctors regular Zee ior
consultation was 90 rubles at his own mousse
while lie demanded five times that sum ior any
professional visit at the residence OF patient, II
il bapnened To be within calling distance OF his
| own house He made up for the heavincss ol hls
charges TO the rich by his benevocncc to the
moor whom he treated for nothing. One day he
was visited by the late Prince Demidoh VINO was
as mean and as avaricious as he was rlch' MS
wealth surprising that of any noblenan or com
moner in Europe. After having prescribed inc
necessary remedies, DR.. Botkine noticed 'ha'
Prince Demidon had extracted two hVeflpe
notes from his pocketbooll, and that he was about
| to tender them in payment OF the consnltatioh'
Thanks, no; nothing at all, my dear frihce'
ne exclaimed in the most kindly and even affection
ate manner "Nou ought TO know that never
exact any fee at all from the poor And with
that he bowed the Prince out.
curious story is told at st. Petersburg OF the
circumstances that led to his appointment at
court The late Empress, beside being afflicted
with consumption, suffered from disease OF the
heart Like many other invalids she was con-
WINGED that the physicians in attendance failed
to understand her case, state of things que
rather to the extraordinary modesty on the part
of Her Majesty than TO any ignorance or the
doctors She devout and extremely pous
that she could not be prevailed upon to permit
them to examine her chest in the ordinary manner
Ever on the lookout for physician who couid
comprehend her case, she readily granted permits
sion to one Of her ladiesin-waiting to present to
her young and at that time unknown doctor
named Botkine He came, and created a most
favorable impression upon Her Majesty until the
moment when he asked her to remove the bodice
of her dress in order to enable him 10 examine her
chest She at once refused to comply, adding
that all the physicians who had attended her until
| then had prescribed for her without requiring
any such immodest display.
If Your Majesty declines. | must refuse
either to prescribe or 10 advise replied BotKihc
with great dignity. 1t Is Impossible lof any
one To diagnose without thorough eX-
animation; and before the astonished Empress
| could utter word he began bowling hinls III out
and backed himself almost into the arms of
Alexander H. who just entering. Having
no al aufpclambpI
a physician was with his wife. the Gar asked
cheerly Of DR.. Bctkne how he found the EN-
press. and then percciving the lattcrs discon-
certed look, inquired what had happened The
young doctor replied that Her Majesty had re-
fused 10 permit him or any other physician TO
examine her chest in the customary manner,
and that under the circumstances, H. could not
conscicntlousy either diagnose the prescribe
for it. Struck IS the young mans independence
Of character and language, well Us ny his
honesty and common sense, the Gar dismissed
him In the most kindly manner with instructions
20 cali at the palace the following day at
noon DR.. Botline made his appearance at the
appointed hour was received by the Emperor and
conducted by him TO the Czarina, who had been
in the time prevailed upon by her hus-
band 70 submit TO the examination. The rem
edics subsequently, administered by the young
physician afforded so much relief 10 the imperial
patient that thenceforh DR.. BOtkines fame and
fortune were made. TIE Empress would allow
no one else to attend her. He acquired most
extraordinary influence her, and remained
with her until her death at Nice. Subsequently
he set up IN private practice at st. Petersburg,
although retaining his court appointment at St.
Petersburg and the high favor Of the imperial
family during the remainder OF his life.