THE CZAR'S HEIR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11669, 8 April 1916, Page 4

THE CZAR'S HEIR.

RECOVERED FFOM SERIOUS INJURIES. Recent- pictures in the newspapsrs have shown the* Czar of all tho Ilu.v- ---! sias reviewing his troops accompanied by his only son, both wearing the picturesque Cossack uniform, wvit-ea Dr "E. Hart in an American journal. The Czarevitch looks the strong and sturdy lad he is despite an accident which threatened to leave him a hopeless cripple. Many stories were afloat as to tho nature of the accident, but the true one never got into the newspapers. It was variously said that his life had been attempted by a nihilist or anarchist agent, that the boy had boon so terribly mutilated' that lis would be the last direct descent of the male line of the Romanoffs, unless his mother had another sou. which for various reasons was more than unlikely, l't was also alleged that the boy had developed an incurable congenital disease. None of these stories was true, as 1 saw the Russian Imperial heir apparently playing about vigorously in the grounds of. the beautiful' palace of Tearskoe-Selo last September, while a short time before his medical attendant, Surgeon General Wreden, gave me the exact account of the accident- to the Czarevitch and the treatment by which he had effected a thorough cure.

The Czar's son is a bright and highspirited as well as handsome and perfecly formed boy. Up. to the time of his accident he had, said General Wreden, enjoyed splendid, health, except for the usual childish ailments, such as occasional colds and a mild attack of measles. The boy was always romping with his sisters, who are devoted to him, and, not having any boys of his own age to play with, owing to the severity of court etiquette, he also used to disport himself with the hugo Cossack attendant who was especially told off to guard the heir to the throne, and who simply worshipped -tho boy, although his whims and pranks and highspirited adventures in tree climbing and hiding himself away in remote and inaccessible spots off-en oaused' the man anxietv. ■• ■ THE ACCIDENT. The Cossack would sometimes take his Royal charge boating on the lake at Tsarkoe-Selo, and ho had a way of pushing off the boat from the masonry embankment of the lake with his foot and leaping on board. The Csarevitch watched and admired tins feat-, and resolved to emulate it the first opportunity. One day when his faithful attendant's back was turned the boy,'standing on the edge of the lake, pushed off the boat with one foot and essayed to jump on board. lie succeeded in reaching the boat, but he fell, fracturing his thigh and 1 rupturing himself, the rupture not, however, proving very serious,,but the fracture was a very bad one. The Cossack, alarmed* at the cries of the Czarevitch, rushed to the water's edge to find the boat drifting towards tie centre with the boy lyinc at the bottom screaming from the pain of his injuries. He jumped into the lake, and, being unable to swim, he would have drowned but for his shouts, which brought sentries and others upon the scene. The boy was carried into tho Czaritza's apartments. Her Majesty at once sent for the favourite court physician, who recognised! that it was a case calling for prompt and skilled treatment. He recommended that a notable surgeon of the court should be sent for. This was done, and the fracture was set. Of course, in such a case absolute Quiescence was necessary,' and naturally, a young and highsnirited boy rebelled at being, kept on his back in one position with his injured limb ..in a splint.

A MORE SERIOUS FALL: His mother had always petted and spoiled! him, and so had his sisters, and they werd constantly with him trring to divert his mind and keep him from attempting to move. But one day when he was left by himself for a few moments. And when the limb was well on the way to recovery through the setting of the fractured bone, fie managed to get riff the sofa to which he had been transferred during the day, and in. trying to walk he fell heavily to the found. The limb was brolcen again. Surgeon-General "VVreden, one of the honorary •surgeon* of the court and head of the orthopedic hospital of Petrograd, was called' in. Ho said that he might be able to effect a, cure if he were given a free hand in the ease and his instructions implicitly obeyed ; otherwise he won Id prefer not to take over the case unless he had his

Majesty's command to do so. Dr Wreden had heard from his colleagues who had been ill attendance on tho Czarevitch of their difficulties in making the royal patient and his mother and' sisters carry out the instructions and follow the treatment deemed' necessary for h's recovery. The Czar sent for Dr Wreden and discussed the case with him, and being desirous that his heir and* successor to the throne of the Romanoffs should develop into a sound and healthy man ho gave over his soil to the charge of the famous surgeon and orthopedist and enjoined on his wife and daughteis that they should do nothing contrary to the surgeon's instructions.

SCENES IN THE PALACE. The resetting of the leg was a prolonged and serious operation, and after a time it was encased iu. plaster of Paris. But unless special steps were taken Dr Wreden believed that it would be permanently shortened and that th 6 Czarevitch would be lamed for life. He therefore deviped a machine for keeping it in position and gradually stretciling it. The poor, boy, who was now much enfeebled by his sufferings and prolonged imprisonment to his bed 1 , had to be kept in one strained position for weeks. He besought his mother with tears and lamentations to release him, and there were many painful sceneSj m some of which the Czaritza upbraided the surgeon, but l>r Wreden fell back on the Cz&r. who was firm.

At last it was possible to release tha Czarevitch from the machine, and he was then incessantly watched, so that the previous misadventure might not be repeated. Gradually he became able to be driven abotro in the grounds of Tsarskoe.-Selo in a carriage drawn by a small donkey and accompanied by lus ad'oring mother and sisters: then short walks were permitted, and at. length health and strength were restored. Today the Czarevitch is strong and sturdy, displaying no sign of a limp, the Slight shortness of the injured .limb compared with the other being fully compensated by a special boot designed by Dr Wreden. \