Baffling 19th C. Royal Spanish Etiquette

    The first wife of King Alfonso XII, Mercedes, was born in Madrid, the daughter of Duke of Montpensier, Antoine of Orléans, and Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain. She died 5 months and 3 days after her wedding, due to typhoid fever. – Public domain image of Mercedes, Princess of Orléans,

The Queen and the Doctors

By the unwritten yet immutable laws of the Spanish court no one but a Spanish physician can attend the Queen of Spain. When the illness of Queen Mercedes became desperate her doctors called in their German colleague in consultation, but told him that he mast prescribe for Doña Mercedes without seeing her on their report of the symptoms and condition only. 

Dr. Kisbert declared that it was essential for him to examine the patient before he could indicate what remedies would be efficacious. 

This, however, could on no account be permitted. Ho then suggested that he might be allowed to see her through some open door or window without approaching her or even entering the sickroom. That concession, too, was refused. “Then, gentlemen, I can do nothing,” was the reply. ‘‘I am willing to prescribe, but I con hardly do so with good effect without personally inspecting the patient.” He wrote a prescription and then left the palace. Three days later the fair young Queen was dead, but the laws of Spanish court etiquette remained intact. – The Weekly Calistogan, 1883

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