Prev | Current Page 295 | Next

Fischer, George Alexander

"Beethoven"

The facilities
for heating a room of that size, in those times must have been wholly
inadequate. Several days elapsed before a physician could be found to
attend him. He had quarrelled with two of his former physicians and each
refused his aid. Finally, a professor from the medical college, a Dr.
Wawruch, was summoned, who took the case in hand. Schindler states that
it was several days before he or any of the master's friends knew of his
arrival in Vienna, and leaves the inference that he was unattended
during this interval except by his nephew. When they learned of his
return, Schindler and Stephen von Breuning were unremitting in their
attentions.
As Beethoven had taken a violent prejudice against Dr. Wawruch, another
physician, Dr. Malfatti, was engaged, who acted in conjunction with the
former. The treatment was now changed, large quantities of iced punch
being administered, probably with the view of relieving the congestion
of the stomach. This mode of treatment exactly suited the sick man, a
result which was probably foreseen by the astute Dr.


Pages:
283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307