The Best Medical Care Available

Here is a favorite historical anecdote …

King Louis XIV of France was not succeeded by his son nor by his grandson nor by his eldest great-grandson, but by a younger great-grandson, who became Louis XV.

Here is the story… Louis XIV lived a long life and became king as a young boy. When his son Louis, the Grand Dauphin, was about 50 an infection spread through the royal court (probably smallpox). The Grand Dauphin caught it. As heir to the throne, he received the best medical care available. He died.

Some years later another infection spread through the royal court (probably measles, apparently more virulent in times past than today). The new Dauphin, Louis, the Duc de Bourgogne (Burgandy), grandson of Louis XIV, son of Louis the Grand Dauphin, got it. Again as the heir to the throne he received the best medical care available. He died.

His young son, Louis, duc de Britagne (Brittany), only a boy, great-grandson of Louis XIV also contracted the infection. With the death of his father, he was now heir to the French throne. So the best medical practitioners available all turned their attentions to saving his life. He died.

Now Louis Duke of Brittany had a younger brother, the Duc d’Anjou, also named Louis (probably one of many names). Since he was not in the direct line to be king, no one had paid a lot of attention to him. Besides, he was just a toddler. Since court activities consumed much of his parent’s time, he was farmed out to a noble lady of the court, Charlotte, Duchess of Ventadour, one more interested in children than in court festivities, and she was his governess. When the infection came up, she locked him and herself in her palace apartment. She refused to allow anyone to enter or even be at the open door. Food and other needed items had to be left at the door and she would retrieve them when everyone was gone. She said through the door that she did not want the boy to catch the infection, so she was keeping him secluded. No one cared that much since more important people were sick and getting all of the attention. So she was left alone.

The fact was, the boy had caught the sickness right off. She kept him in her rooms and lied about keeping the infection out. She kept him resting in bed, with warm blankets, nutritious food, lots of liquids, and no prescribed medicines or treatments. He recovered and lived to become Louis XV a few years later.

So three generations got the best medical health care available and they all died. The one kept from such care lived and reordered history. Of course today we know that their medical care was not all that good in 18th Century France. But at the time, they thought it was very good, especially with the best doctors at the service of the royal court of France. And at this time, France was the richest, most technologically advanced nation in the world, and the cultural leader of the western world. But they were wrong to place so much faith in their medical health care professionals.

Today, the US is the richest, most technologically advanced nation in the world, and the cultural leader of the western world. We know our medical professionals and facilities are very good, with the best doctors, facilities, and equipment in the world.