Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Alexander III could live for years

October 14, 1894

A Vienna physician, said "to be in the confidence" of Emperor Alexander III's doctors, says "their diagnosis wavers between cancer of the kidneys and inflammation of the kidneys," reports the New York Times from Berlin.

All the doctors agree that the Emperor's "decline will be neither sudden nor rapid."

Correspondence from Livadia agree with the "semi-official statement" from Vienna that Alexander III's "condition is more hopeful."   One specialist believes that the Emperor "may recover, or at least live an invalid's life for many years."  His former physician  was summoned from Meran to Livadia.  While in Vienna, he told a reporter that Alexander's "illness was not hopeless as long as a change in climate was possible.  Dr. Hirsch said he would accompany the Emperor to Corfu.

A Berlin newspaper, Tageblatt, reports that Alexander's cancer of the kidneys is in his family history, as Empress Alexandra, wife of Emperor Nicholas, died of a "cancerous disease," as have other members of the imperial family.

It was announced from St. Petersburg today that the imperial family, with the exception of Grand Duke George, will leave for Corfu on the 22nd.  They will travel by ship and pass through the Bosporus aboard "a vessel of the volunteer fleet, flying the mercantile flag."

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