The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-06
Once Called a CharIatan, but Later
Recognized as One of the Leaders of
His Profession in Russia.
HOW He RAISED HIS FEES
BATCH OF INCIDENTS ILLUSTRATING
HIS ECCENTRICITIEs.
Death of Gen. YeatmOn-Biggs, Who
Commanded the British When Dar-
gal Ridge Was Stormed.

MOSCOW, Jan. 5.--Dr. Zacharin. the ia
| nous physician of Car Alexander III, is
| dead.
Dr. zacharin pronounced Zacharin)
shortly before the death of Gar Alexander
| III, which occurred on Nov. /, 1894 was ac-
cused of having made a mistaken diagnosis
| of the Cars malady, negligence and lack
of professional skill also being alleged.
| When the death of the Car became known
the populace of Moscow wrecked the doc
tors house. Later the medical students in
st. Petersburg made a hostile demonstra-
| ton against the doctor. In connection with
the Cars illness many stories were told
| about how DR.. Zacharin shocked the court
iers by his unconventional ways and how
he used to attend the Emperor in dressing
| gown and the boots of a peasant Some
correspondents even went so far as to de-
clare him insane. 1t cannot be denied that
Professor Zacharin was indeed a very &C.
| centric man, with many a strange within.
He was what Americans might call
| crank, and what Russians call Original"
| Zacharin was a self-made man in the full
| est sense of the word. OF very poor and
| humble parentage, his youth was not of
| the brightest. His parents were too poor
| to pay his tuition fee at the gymnasium and
| 1t was only through his admirable faculties,
| his self-denial and hard labor that he man.
| aged to obtain the attest of maturity" as
the diploma of a gymnasium is called in
| Russia. Zacharins medical career was
success from the very start. Having re-
| celved his diploma he at once put out
| hand-written sign, ''Dr. Zacharin." Fifteen
| minutes later some one in a carriage was
| looking for a doctor and Zacharin was hur-
| ried away to attend an aristocratic lady
WI n ho1 int
| V1Ved, but the gentleman of the house
| handed him 3-ruble bill for his trouble
| My name, sir, is DR.. Zacharn," said the
DOCTOR, Indignantly returning the note land
| my fee is 10 rubles a visit He was paid
ana listened to an apology.
| RAISING HIS FEES.
few years later, when he was already
visiting his patients in a carriage drawn by
a pair of black Orloff trotters with foot
man and an assistant, Zacharin thought it
was time to raise his fee. This is the way
| he did it: After a visit to a patient he was
handed a 1O-ruble bill. He took the paper
note, spat upon it and stuck it on the door,
and without a word, left the room. While
| Zacharin treated poor people free, his
charges for those who could pay was not
less than 100 rubles a visit. There was no
limit to his fees. which depended on the
social position and financial standing of the
patlent. he hated vanity and knew how to
| especially by the higher class of nobility
| This story, which will serve as an illustra-
dent w ~ eoq TO an fAmerIcan wnen stu
| lntendent of the imperial estates in Moscow
was Count Orlof-Davdoff. one of the most
arlstocratic mobiles Of Russia. He had
| sister, young and charming lady, who
| being suddenly taken sick, was pronounced
| by the attending physician to be in a very
| sent for Professor Zacharin who appointed
an hour for the consultation. The appointed
a hnI I.N..~
an hour. but no Zacharin. The attending
physician. greatly incensed, finally left the
parent. Zacharin's two assistants arrived.
and. ten minutes later the professor himself
made his appearance.
- Good morning: good morning. sir said
hand untouched and, pointing to his sister,
said: There is your patient, doctor; feel
| her pulse. l am all right"
| Zacharin swallowed the rebuff in silence
| examined the patient, left prescription,
received his fee of. 100 rubles and left. Next
| alarming, and Zacharin was sent for again.
| But the messenger got only as far as Zach
arms door for no sooner had he declared
that the message was from Count Orloff-
| DavidoH than the door was slammed in his
| face The count then sent a written re-
quest. which elected no reply. Finally the
| count himself drove up to Zacharins resi-
| dence and sent in his card with these few
| words written on it: For Gods sake, doc
| tor. come at once, my sister is dying" Two
| minutes later the card was returned with
| these few lines on it in Zacharin's hand /.
| one thousand ruDleS visit and nowhere
to meet the count" Orloff-Davidoff accepted
this humilating condition, and during the
next two weeks in which Zacharn visited
| the counts sister twice day he never saw
| the counts face. and was paid 900 rubles
for every visit The lady got well.
Once Zacharin attended a wealthy mer-
chant. On the mantel in the sick chamber
stood a costly bronze clock under an ex-
quislte crystal cover, which was somewhat
the. patient the professor heard the clock
''Oh. that clocky' he exclaimed.
The wife of the sick man hurried on tin
| toe to remove the offending clock and as
she did so she sneezed This mark of dis
| respect aroused the eccentric medico to
open wrath and he shouted, "Silence!' so
vigorously and suddenly that the fright
the clock into hundred pieces.
HIS SELF-CONFIDENCE.
Zacharin placed his diagnosis beyond any
criticism. To this absolute defiance of the
profession must be attributed a great part
| of his success. The world admires self
| confidence. This story, told among the
students, shows how rarely he made a mis-
| take in diagnosis. A gentleman from
the government of Toer imagined. prob
ably with some reason. that he had heart
trouble, and went to Moscow to be exam
| ined by and to consult Zacharin After
! the examination he asked what his chances
for life We're
You may live one year." was the pro-
Almost year later the patient called on
| Zacharin again.
Don't you remember me, professor? About
a year ago you said / had only twelve
months to live. | have gained thirty pounds
since and hope to live many a year to
come
zacharin's face was a study did 1 pre-
| diet it?" he asked.
! Yes, right here in this Office
How long is il since you were here?"
| Just eleven months.
/ well. sir, that leaves you still thirty
| days. You shouldn't have troubled me- Pro-
| fessor Zacharin never makes a mistake
/ You'll die within the time
Next morning the gentleman was found
! dead in his bed
Zacharin was a man of quick sharp wit
and always fertile in expedients Some
years ago he appointed investigating
physician in one of the lunatc asylums in
! the vicinity of Moscow. While making his
rounds he was approached by one GONZALES
| cent patient who complained on the quality
of the food. especially the SOUP which he
| said was unfit for gentlemen Zacharin, fol-
| lowed by the patient. started for the kitch-
! en-. AS fate would have it. none of the at
| tendantS was present. Approaching the
! huge cauldron in which the SOUP was boil
ing he lifted the lid, took a spoon tasted
! the soup and found 1t excellent. However 10
! humor the patient, he said: You are right
| sir: the soup is very bad. / shall see the
steward and tell him TO discharge the cook
| at once.
] As he started to leave the kitchen the pa
/ tient, giant in stature and strength bent
! over the doctor and whispered teasingly In
| his ear: You know, doctor you are such ii
! wise-looking fellow that you would make q
! delicious broth besides improving it's nour-
/ ishing qualities; don't you think so YOUR
i self & No r. he Gefze -