Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1894 — Napoleon’s Packet of Poison. [ARTICLE]

Napoleon’s Packet of Poison.

One of the most interesting articles found among the recent numerous essays upon the private life of Napoleon is on the toilet of the Emperor, which, it appears, was a most important matter, and regulated down to the smallest details with mathematical precision. When awakened, it was Napoleon’s custom to glance over the paper while the fires were lit. He was sensitive to cold, and a fire was prepared in every room even in midsummer. Then of distinguished people awaiting an audie nee he would designate those whom he wished to see, after which he would rise, and take a hot bath, lasting about an hour. The daily shaving was the next duty. Ordinarily his physician, Corvisart, would be present chatting and securing favors for his friends. Napoleon’s greeting was usually some badinage, such as, “Ah charlatan! How many patients have you killed this morning?” and the physician would reply in kind. Two valets were necessary for shaving, one holding the basin and another the mirror. The Emperor, in a flannel robe de chambre, then covered his face with soap and proceeded to shave, beginning at the left side, at the top of the cheek. The left side done, the two valets passed to the other side, Throwing off his robe, Napoleon was next deluged with eau de cologne, and subjected to a thorough scrubbing with a rough brush. The valet then rubbed the whole body with linen rolls saturated with eau de cologne, a custom that Napoleon had acquired in the East. The scrubbing was none of the lightest either, for he would call out from time to time: “ Harder, rub harder.” When the scrubbing was over the Emperor dressed himself. A curious detail of his costume was the religious care with which he kept hung round his neck the little leather envelope, shaped like a heart, which contained the poison that was to liberate him in case of irretrievable reverses of fortune. This poison was prepared after a recipe that Cabanis had given to Condorcet, and after the year 1808 the Emperor never undertook a campaign without having his little packet of poison.—[New York Sun.