The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1915-02-19
THE KAISER BORN A CRIPPLE
Owes Withered Arm to Doctors Awe
of Royal Mother-All Pictures
Hide Defect.
(From the Washington Posb

(From the Washington Post)
Editor Post: Readers of current lit
erature must observe a popularity in
the pose of the pictures Representing
the German Emperor. The popularity
is this-the left hand is always seen
thrust into the side pocket of his coat
The reason for this is that the mem
ber is useless and has been so all his
life, the affliction having had it's orr
gin at his birth through the blunder
of the attending physician.
AS the circumstances attending the
unfortunate happening may not be
known generally, it may be interest
ing to reproduce the account given of
it by correspondent of the New
York Sun, writing from Berlin
twenty-five years ago. The clipping
is In my possession, and was cut from
the paper at the time of publication.
The following is his version of the
affair:
"In Paris two days ago I talked
about Emperor William with friend
OF mine, whose fame as medical
man is worldwide, and obtained for
your readers most interesting and
definite information as to the young
rulers physical condition. The in
formation may be relied upon as ex-
act beyond any question.
"'Young William was unlucky in
the first place. said my friend, 'in
having Princess for mother, and
equally so in having been born a
Prince. These two circumstances ac-
count for his unhappy deformity. The
usually accepted accounts of it's ma
ture are imaginative rubbish.
Awe of Royalty Handicap
""The Crown Princess Fredericka
was travelling, as is generally known
in an out of the way place at very
indiscreet period. The birth of the
present German Emperor was unex-
pected, and he was helped into the
world by some obscure little doctor
with an awe for royalty far in excess
of his knowledge of surgery.
"'If he had been allowed to think
that his patient was simply an ordi-
nary woman, of strong physique, all
would probably have been we'll; but
the fact was carefully impressed upon
him that he had on his hands the life
Of future Queen, and that the child
would probably be heir to the Prus-
sian throne. This so demoralized the
little doctor that he added the
strength of his own muscles to the
forces of nature, and so severed the
muscles of the infants left arm.
"'When I was called to Windsor by
Queen Victoria to attend the little
boy saw at once that his case was
hopeless. If he had been a grocer's
son some good doctor would have
called in, and some sound method of
cure adopted and followed. AS a
Prince, however, he had to be seen by
every great doctor, no system was
followed out, and the worst possible
result of the accident ensued, namely,
complete atrophy of the arm.
Mechanism Moves Arm.
est Is wasted completely away,
and is probably smaller than when
I examined MIN as d boy at Windsor.
Fortunately, such wonderful skill has
been shown by the German surgeons
as to save him from the modification
of having it plainly seen that one of
his arms is simply the withered arm
of a child. The withered arm is
padded out in most life-like fashion,
and not only that, but within the
padding is a most wonderfully clever
machine-a series of strings and
cords acting like the muscles of the
arm.
"'These artificial muscles are con-
nected with the good muscles of the
shoulder most adroitly, so that while
in a natural condition he would be
incapable of moving his withered arm
this most ingenious mechanism en-
ables him to impart to it movements
that are almost life-like. He can
raise or lower his artificial hand and
use it sufficiently well to guide care
fully trained and broken chargers
which are selected for him.
Despite the serious handicap, the
boy and the man developed that men
tai and moral force which makes th,.
present Emperor of Germany the
greatest character of the time. His
wonderful force of character and high
moral ethical ideals have been impair
ted to his people, who are now labor
ing to maintain their country's pres
tige against what appears to be great
numerical odds.
Aided by Good Wife
During his long and peaceful reign
the Emperor's energies have been di-
rected toward the betterment of the
condition of his people. He is de-
voted Christian, being an earnest
= Bible student. Upon every suitable
occasion he emphasizes his desire for
temrerance, frugality, and morality
amonp his countrymen, and his teach
ings and appeals have borne and are
bearing fruit. Statistics show that
less spirituous liquors are consumed
per capita in Germany than in any
other country. The Teuton repre-
sents the best thoughts of the age in