The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #13844 Message #3006719
Posted By: GUEST,Gerhard
14-Oct-10 - 06:48 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Dr. Iron Beard / Doktor Eisenbart
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dr. Iron Beard / Doktor Eisenbart
The first German print in 1814 spells "Eisenbart" already, thus abstracting from the real person. Reducing/restoring "th" to "t" was a process that started before 1800 and finished in 1903 (or 1901. BTW: the story about the Kaiser's "Thron" is a legend; words of Greek origin were exempt). Consequently, early versions in Dutch and English translated the name.
The message of the song is not only to mistrust physicians, but also to be aware that excessive advertising may actually ruin one's reputation.
Note that Eisenbarth had learned his profession of surgery by regular apprenticeship and never saw any academic institution from inside. Doktor was a title reserved to university graduates, who manily dealt with internal diseases and were in fact less successful, but claimed a higher prestige.