Relaxed after believing her investigation has been concluded, Archduchess Marianne takes a walk in the Hofburg garden, where she happens to meet the young Doctor von Störck.
In his youth, Anton von Störck’s (1731–1803) prospects were anything but promising. Orphaned early, he lived in a Viennese poorhouse, relying on public charity. Despite this Dickensian childhood, he managed to educate himself and study medicine at the University of Vienna under the mentorship of van Swieten. He earned his doctoral degree and was employed by the municipality as a doctor of the poor.
As the reader may remember, von Störck’s particular field of interest was medicinal plants. He believed that even poisonous herbs, if properly dosed, could have therapeutic value. His research led him to experiment with various plants and establish a three-step testing procedure. After initial trials on animals, he took the substance himself, observing and documenting its effects, and only if the outcome was positive did he administer the medicine to patients.
An informal conversation during their stroll triggers a sudden flash of insight and reignites Marianne’s intellectual curiosity. In an instant, she finds herself drawn back into the heart of her investigation.
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