Iron County register., 1899-12-14
DUKE AS A SURGEON.
Remarkable PhiIanthropic and Sell
entific work of Bavaria's
Charles Theodore.

| The siXtieth anniversary of very
| notable man was recently celebrated
| in Germany. 1t is that of Duke
| Charles Theodore of Bavaria, who has
acquired high distinction by his work
| as philanthropist and his skill as a
surgeon. For many years he has been
treating persons afflicted with dis.
| eases of the eyes, and he has up to
date performed operations on 5000
persons suffering from cataracts.
The removal of cataracts is indeed the
work to which he now devotes his en-
tire time.
At first he declined to accept any
fees from patients. Physicians
throughout the country, however, see
ing that he had practically monop-
oily as regards the removal of cata-
racts, addressed a petition to him
some time ago in which they request
ed him to charge the customary fee,
on the ground that otherwise he would
be doing an unintentional injustice to
other physicians, and the duke at
once promised to comply with their
request.
He planned, therefore, to charge his
wealthy patients a good round sum
and to spend the money, when it
reached him, in establishing three
hospitals, where the poor afflicted with
eye diseases could be treated, one in
Munich, another in Meran and third
in Tegernsee. AS the money, how
ever, did po- come in as quickly as he
expected, he began to build the hos
pitfalls at his own expense, and the cost
of maintenance to-day comes almost
wholly out of his own pocket. This
amounts to about $4,000 a year. OF
his many wealthy patients few pay
him for his services, and they know
well that he will never press for pay
ment.
Such ingratitude would deter many
men from continuing in their philan-
thropic work, but the duke is not la
boring in order to earn gratitude or
money. AS a matter of fact, he and
his family in order to maintain the
hospitals, have been obliged to re-
duce their living expenses almost to
a minimum. Like most Germans, the
duke loves good horse, but to-day al
most all the stalls in his stable are
empty. His. wife, who was Princess De
Braganza, and his children have also
given up many luXuries in order to
be able to continue the good work
About 80 patients visit the duke
daily, and from hardly one of them
does he receive a fee. If he is very
busy his daughters, Elizabeth and
Mary, receive the patients as they ar
rive and give them any immediate re-
lief that may be necessary. That they
are competent to do so will be clear
from the fact that they have both
studied medicine and have given great
attention to their fathers work.
The Tegernsee hospital occupies an
entire wing of the castle in which the
duke and his family reside. Poor pa
tients on their arrival receive at once
hearty meal and bath. Then the
young ladies examine them and report
to their father in regard to the condi-
ton of each.
If there is an imperative necessity
the operation is performed without de-
lay, but otherwise not for several
days, or until the patient has regained
strength by comfortable rest at the
hospital. During these days of rest
the patients receive the best possible
food and care, so that, as has been well
said, the duke does not only keep
free hospital, but also a free restau-
rant and free home.-N. Y. Herald.