The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-22

cess to convince him that the childs
life was in danger, and that it was
necessary to adopt certain measures
without delay. The Empress continued
to make negative motion of her head
in pathetic. almost appealing man.
ner, clasping the little girl who always
remained her favorite child, still closer
to her breast. 1t was not anger at the
doctors presumption in demanding to
see the baby stripped, but a sort of
mothers delicacy about showing her
child thus, especially poor little baby,
SO pltiably thin and frail-looking.
Wlderhofer thereupon declared to the
Empress that he could not undertake
to prescribe for the child or to offer
any advice, since it was impossible to
do so without thorough examination,
and withdrew. That same afternoon
Wlderhofer was summoned to the pre-
sence of the Emperor, who asked him
for information about the child, and
for the result of his visit that morning.
The physician explained to him the
refusal of the Empress to strip the
child. The Emperor seemed amazed.
How do you explain that?' he ex-
claimed. Such a clever woman as is
the Empressl"
Very easily" replied Widerhofer;
1t is maternal senstiveness at the
IDEA OF any one seeing how frail and
delicate her baby girl is. 1t is not the
first case of the kind that I have en-
countered in my practice.
The Emperor thereupon made Wider
hofer promise to return on the follow
ing day. and on his arrival led him
himself to the Empress, who, receiving
the doctor with the most marked graci-
business, herself undressed the little
girl, and thus enabled the doctor to
make thorough Investigation of the
chlld's condition. 1t was, thanks to
this, that the doctor was able to pre-
scribe the necessary remedies and also
course OF treatment, which was at
tended by so much success that the lit
tie archduchess grew up into a strong,
athletic and healthy woman. who is a
splendld swimmer and an indefatiga-
Die mountaineer, and has now become
the mother of large family of healthy
and strapping boys and girls
So delighted was the Empress with
the Doctors success with Valerie that
she contided to him the medical care
of her two older children, and before
long the young physician became the
doctor of all the children of the impe-
rial house. He was wont to treat them
in the most simple and unaffected man.
ner, just as he would the offspring of
people of inferior rank, that is to say,
with a winning gentleness that fasci-
mated all his little patients, but at the
same time with no regard whatsoever
for their imperial title, calling them by
their Christian names, and addressing
them by the familiar "Du" Cthou) Just
as if they had been the children of
peasants, taking the ground that in
the medical treatment of children the
latter are all equal and on the same
footing.
Only those who have any personal
acquaintance with the inner workings
of the court at Vienna can form an
idea of the importance of the role
which the old doctor played there, Of
the influence which he exercised. and
of the absolute trust which the Empe-
ror and Empress and their children as
well as grandchildren placed in him,
not merely as a medical adviser but
likewise as an old, true and devoted
friend.