The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-12
Kissingen n German Mecca.

New York Tribune.
Kisslngen has this summer been a sort of
German Mecca. The populace has hocked
thither. Representative delegations from
various parts of the empire have made Off
cIal pilgrimsGes thither. Persons Of more
or less distinction from all parts of the
world have made their way TO the place.
And on many day much of the most
readable md most read news has been
printed beneath Kiasingen date line. For
this one season, at any rate. the resort on
the Saale hos decidedly Outranked In inter
est all competitors. And the secret OF il Is.
of course. the presence and the volu bility
of Prince Bismarck.
1t is now nineteen years since Prince
Bismarck visited Kissipgen. He did so
then, as now. under his DOCTORS orders. In
that one respect this iron autOcrat Is the
most submissive of men. IL his doctor says
90. he goes; or come. he comes. unhesitat-
ingly. He Obeys without murmuTing and
without question. 1t is not that he Is a
coward. afraid of death or illness. Rather
it Is because of his high sense of discipline
and duty. For the time being he places
himself under his doctors orders and gives
TO them the same attentive compliance that
he would expect his own subordlnates To
give to him. So. too. when he Is taking
the cure" he does ir thoroughly. in every
detail There Is no one at klsslngen who
pays closer attention to his treatment
Prince Bismarck has visited kissingen
almost every summer since 1874. The only
yeGrs IN which he has been absent have
been those in which he was too busy to
take complete and thorough treatment.
Consequently, rather than slight his
cure he preferred to foregO IL altogether.
This, too. is characteristic of the man
There have been many other famous WIS.,
itore. such as the German EMPRESS and the
Empress of Austria. But in the estimation
of the townspeOple these all pale into in
significance in comparison with the man
of blood and iron. and they make 1t their
proudest boast that kissingen is Prince
Bismarck's bath.
The railroad from Frank fort to Klssingen
had just been completed In 1874, when
Prince Bismarck went to the latter place,
making access easy and pleasant. But the
Prince had only been there few days
when there was startling occurrence
which might we'll have driven him forever
from the place. This was kullman's at
tempt to murder him; in memory of which,
or of the stateman's escape from death q
mural tablet has been erected by the town.
The exact date was July Ian i'm portGn c
anniversary. for on July IL. just four years
before, at another watering place. King
William of Prussia had received from
France that peremptory demand which
ostensibly caused the great war and made
that monarch Emperor over united Ger
many.
The historic interest of Kissingen dates
OHCA, however, IHAD the great
ChanceilOr's first visit. A monument in
the town recalls the fact that on July 10
1c66. nloody battle W as fought there be-
tween the armies of Prussia and Bavaria.
the latter being worsted. Far back of that
date. too. KIssingen was the scene OF an
other great conflict between two German
tribes. They were not fighting then Tor
and against union of the various
tribes or states, but for the right
TO use the waters which have
given the place its wealth and fame. That
according to Tacitus. was in the year 5S
whence IL appears that for nineteen CEN
turies the salt water of Bissingen has been
known and valued for lis health-restoring
qualities. References TO the fact are fonnd
In PIlny; and again in charters and other
documents as old as the early part of tho
ninth century. The medical literature of
the sixteenth century contains many
treatises on the subject. and it appears
that the waters were then much sought as
q cure for the same complaints as at the
present cay-namely, gout. rheumatism
and dyspepsia.
The "cnre" at Kissingen comprises both
drinking and bathing. AS rule. patie n Is
drink the water twice DAY. The first
drink is taken early IN the morning. before
breakfast: the second ct or IN the after