Evening star., 1924-01-17
BY THE MARarIsE DE FoNTENoY.


Or. Ernest Schweninger. who has
[ just passed away At Munich. will be
remembered as tho fayoritc physci ian
of Prince Bismarck, and 4 member
for many years of the iron chancel-
lors household, and there is no doubt
that the world will in the near future
vast number Of Bismarck's confden-
tial letters. of intimate correspond
ence, and, above all, with the doctors s
very unvarnished "reminiscences of
his celebrated patient. whose life he
prolonged by his drastic treatment
for at least r quarter Of a century.
Schwen.IBer- was one of the most
hated men in Germany. had q crimi-
nal record, was coarse, blatant, the
very acme OF vulgarity, and was only
tolerated by reason of his medical
services to Bismarck at d time when
the fortunes OF the empire seemed
bound up with the life of It's creator,
that 10 to say. the great chancellor.
His first meeting with his iilustrous
patient was characteristic Of the man.
with the princes second son. Count
William Bismarck. who already as d
young man, and before he was twen-
ty-f1ve, developed u very uncomforta-
Bile embonpoint. which was accom-
panied by fntorerable rheumatic pnfnS
Finally, DR., Sohwenineer took charge
OF the case OF his old college class
mate and rid him in about six mon ths
of about eighty pounds, and also OF all
rheumatic pain.
The old prince was so nnuclr struck
by the change effected in the appear
ance and health of his fayorite son,
E"Bfll," that he summoned the young
doctor to Carlsbad, where he was
STAYING at the time, in order to con-
suit him about his own condition.
Schweninger found his patient in his
gloomicst and most pessimistic frame
physician proceeded to ply the states
man with all Kinds OF questions ABOUT
his past life.
THAT is no business Of yours"
growled Bismarck, scowltnE upon the
"If that is the case" exclaimed
|Sweneninger boldly, why. did you
call me in at all. What you want IS
a veterinary surgeon, who Is about
putting questions to his patients.
with that he seized his hat and made
toward the door. The impudence and
common sense OF Schwenin1er appeal.
ed TO the prince and, laughing one 1f
his great laughs. he called him back,
ITemsrkins: "You are, after all. the
man 1 want" And so indeed he
proved.
which were of the most
stinence, with the result that the
chancellor's bulk was reduced to a
normal condition. and that, like his
SON, "BHf." all the rheumatic pains
by which he had been tortured for
years disappeared. The prince prince s,a en-
pensb with the services OF Schwentn-
per whose manners and whose vul-
gartty Frequently Jared upon the
Chancellor, and especially upon his
wife and upon his ento1rage:
sent FOR any length Of time, the prince
gradually abandoned all the dietary
restrictions which had been placed
upon him by his medical adviser. re-
lapsed into his gormandizing habits,
auickiy drffted back into his former
obe sity and rheumatic martyrdom,
with the result that Schw eninger had
TO be summoned >back<to the princes
side in q hurry. :: g. -.
The principal feature of this treat
ment of Bismarck, and of all those
VINO canae to Schwenlnger for relief
t Of obesity and Of rheumatic affections,
Was II, virtually deprive them of ali
Udufds. He. forbade all beer; under
the strain Of doing without which, is
sufi1cient to reduce any German. al
nlost 10 a skeleton. No coffee except
once a day--a very small cupful, very
hot. :: and no milk; no tea and no
water. II the patient suffered from
thirst he or she might eat fruit, suoh
as tho 1uice Of an orange or mix the
.5ufce OF the, lemon with a<few. table
snoo nfu1s of. water and drink. When
the thifst became difficult. to bear any
ionSer he allowed q cupfu1 of very
hot water, as hot as could be drunk.
If is surprising to find with what. a
very small quantity Of liquids one
can accustom ones self to live. =
IN each case the treatment proved
most. effective, and the number of
man and women iof note in. Ger
many. and in foreign lands whem
NN relieved during :. his long life,
OF excessive avoirdupois, is altogether
Of course, when Bismarck begun
To cut himself loose from his former
nhysictang In order to connde the en-.
tire management of his case to
| Schweninger, the members of the
medicAl profession at. Berlin, made
[it their busfness to- hunt DIP his rec
ord, which proved to besunSavory fn
the extreme, including q criminal
conviction and q peuaa servitude sen.