Traditional Polish Tuberculosis

Szymanowski returned to the Edlach Sanatorium in the middle of July 1929, but in spite of the blandishments of his various 'golden-haired Isoldes' ¹ on the staff, the cure proceeded badly from the outset. A large abscess, which he thought at first was a haemorrhoid, required a minor, but expensive operation, and set back the start of the course of treatment by a week. By the middle of August he was feeling feverish and was beginning to suspect the Edlach doctors of incompetence. He informed Barbara Rothe at Universal on 17 August that he was 'gar nicht gut' ² and that he had resolved to consult a good doctor in Vienna. The diagnosis was 'of course traditional Polish tuberculosis at a rather disturbing stage of development (especially in the right lung), at least at the three or four month stage'. ³ Szymanowski informed Miketta that he believed his directorship had cost him dear, and appealed for support from the Ministry to meet what would inevitably prove to be a large bill.