Sterilised Duelling Swords.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue XIX, 10 November 1900, Page 884

Sterilised Duelling Swords.

The innocuous duel of France has been famed in song, story, and jestbook, but it remains for the close of the century to bring forth a new kind of duel, which is bound to be even more famous than the pin pricks of the past. This is the sterilised duel, and, appropriately enough, it is dedicated to the realm of medicine. Two doctors have fought with sterilised swords, and when one was pinked in the hand honour was satisfied all around. The sense of humour is lamentably absent from the French mind, and so the Republic doesn’t realise how funny it all is. The Possi-Devillers duel, like so many others of recent occurrence, sprang out of the political agitation brought on by the Deroulede trial before the Senate. Dr. Pozzi, the gynaecologist, has been a Senator for several y r ears. He took part in the discussions which were held at the Luxembourg during the progress of the trial, and he was in favour of banishment being pronounced against Deroulede. Dr. Devi Ilers, Deroulede’s physician, was present at the last meeting of the Medical Club in the Avenue de I’Opera. This Club was founded a few months ago by Dr. Dole ris, and to Dr. Pozzi had been offered the president’s ehair. Dr. Devillers made some disagreeable remarks to Dr. Pozzi about polities, but the latter told him he did not consider a medical club a fit place for discussing such a question. Dr. Devillers thereupon insulted him, and threw his glove in his face. The man was at this juncture taken care of by his friends and led into another room. On hearing Dr. Pozzi say that he thought it likely that Devillers was not in his right mind, the latter burst forth again into the most violent language. As might be expected in the terrible land of France, a duel was decided upon. The place chosen was Louveciennes, a small town near St. Germain-en-Laye, and though Dr. Pozzi had not done any fencing for the last ten years, he chose swords. Dr. Devillers is, on the other hand, an expert fencer. The swords were sterilised to prevent any infection of the wounds, and immediately after the word was given Dr. Devillers ran his sword into Dr. Pozzi’s right hand between the fourth and fifth fingers. Dr. Pozzi was therefore unable to continue, and the two adversaries shook hands. Dr. Devillers will be prosecuted for having attacked a magistrate in the exercise of his functions, Dr. Pozzi having this quality while acting as Senator in the recent trial.