The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-02-21
POPE LEO'S OLD ACE
WONDERFUL IN FREEDOM FROM
ILLS.


Maintains au the Normal and Regular
Fuucuous-Hs Physicians Views.
Alarming reports I'm regard to the
health of Leo XIII which each season
have been circulated with unfailug RE-
gularity at the opening of the new
year have just been explained ana SAT-
isfactOrity disposed of by Commander
LappOni, the POpe's physician and init
mate friend who of late years has be-
come one of the most influential person.
ages at the Vatican, Commander Lap
pOni i'm the course of conversation
with the Rome correspondent of the
"Gaulois" gives an insight into the daily
life of Leo Kill
81 rang at the little iron grated door
of the villinO where Dr. Lapponi re-
sides, writes the "GaulOis' COrrespOn-
dent, land the reception was extremely
cordial The eminent professor is a tail
robust man, with a large, imposing
head. He has a long, bushy, blond mus
taChe and his expression is frank and
honest l told him that 1 had called TO
inquire about the real state of the
Pope's health. DR.. Lapponi replied: L
| will answer YOU fully, because I am
| glad of an opportunity to show that
there is no foundation whatever for
the false, mysterious rumOrs about the
Holy Father-TumOrs that crop up
every year with strange regularity and
| at times when my august patients con-
dition, by a strange coincidence, is most
! satisfactory.
| Leo XIII, both physically and mem
! tally. is in the enjoyment of a most en-
viable old age He is free from the all
ments and inhrmities which usually tor
ment persons of his advanced years.
His organism is perfectly healthy and
I 4. At. oil IA al NJ
gular functions. His case is, indeed,
almost exceptional in the history of
longevity Scarcely a day passes but
what he astOnishes me by the lucidlty
of his mind the prodigous accuracy Of
his memory, and the penetration of his
judgment.
He recollects the dates, the names
and the faces of the numerous persons
whom he receives at the Vatican. / can
even relate numerous instances of for
eign prelates to whom the Pope has re-
called occurrences that they themselves
had forgotten, and who were astOund-
ed by the old mans extraordinary
mnemotechnical precision. Moreover,
| contrary to the usual phenomenon
shown by very aged persons the Pope
! not only reCOlleCts things that happen
ed in his youth. but also remembers
with accuracy and eXactness of detail
| the most recent events and Incidents.
/ Nothing seems to elude his vigilant per-
ception in regard to men and events. In
short, the brain performs all it's func-
tiOns admirably.
THE POpes eyesght remains unlm-
paired. He wears speCtaCles but most
of the time, especially when reading, he
raises them so that they rest on his
/ forehead, for he complains that they
/ fatigue him. Many a time I have sur
! prised him reading letters and newspu-
| pers unaided by his spectacles. 1t is
! true that his activity has somewhat
slackened in the last few years, but he
! nevertheless works regularly six or
seven hours a day. II is precisely this
concentrated persistenCy for hard, alb
sOrbng work that at times causes me
/ some uneasiness. On several occasions
| l have ventureG to object to his working
so steadfastly, but each time the Pope
! refused to heed my TemOnstrances and
said that my anxiety was greatly eXag-
gerated l am thus always compelled
to keep silence, and 1 go away discon-
! tented.
Another matter that worries me a
great deal are those audiences which,
/ in my opinion, the Holy Father accOrds
with far too great liberality. Almost
every day the Pope receives several per-
! sons in special audience. Talking great
! ly fatigues Leo XIII, particularly so
! during these grand ceremonies 1t thus
! happens that during the Holy Week the
! Pope is always fearfully Overworked.
| Last Holy Week l was in perpetual fear
and trembling. Pilgrimages succeeded
! pilgrimages in alarming frequency. &C.
| removals were multiplied in prOfusiOn.
! The admirable old man never for an in
| slant fiinched but undertook the work
! with extraordinary moral courage, mem
/ tai energy and physical activity. He
| went down to st. Peters no less than
| seventy times! All ended satisfactorily
! however. but 1 look forward with un-
! easiness to the coming pOntifCal jubilee,
which begins in March, Nevertheless,
| l have reason to believe that on this oc-
casiOn the Pope will listen to the res
! pectful remOnstranCes of his physician
| and Will take greater pains to preserve
his precious existence
" You ask me for information about
! the POpe's daily life? Very we'll; l will
tell you all about it. Fourteen years
ago l was called to the Vatican and
since then l have been in daily almost
hourly attendance upon Leo XIII. Dur
ing that period the only change in the
usual habits of the POpe's life has been
in regard to the hour of rising. Until
recently the venerable Pontiff used to
! get out of bed at six or half-past six
each morning. But nowadays he is sub
| ject to occasional insomnia, so that not
| being able to sleep more than four or
! five hours in the night he does not
usually rise until nearly nine O'clock
" AS soon as the Pope is dressed he
celebrates mass, which is performed by
| Contra, his confidential chamberlain
| He then takes a cup of coffee and milk,
! or sometimes, but rarely, a cup of cho-
cOlate At halt-past nine the audiences
! begin and last until one o'clock 1t is
not until two o'clock i'm the afternoon
that the Pope takes his first meal which
list e r.1r 60.
| little white meat-chicken, veal or tur-
key-some fruit and a small glass of
claret and water On Fridays and Sa-
turdays-fasting days-the white meat
Is replaced by fish with which well
cooked green vegetables are served,
Leo XIII always takes his meals in his
bedroom, and his repasts are never
served by any one else than by his
faithful Eentra. You are perhaps aware
that the Pope's apartment contains
only three rooms and a small library,
which by means of the thermosiphOn