HISTORICAL HEALTH

Southland Times, Issue 18962, 8 June 1923, Page 6

HISTORICAL HEALTH

THE ROBUSTNESS OF PRIME MINISTERS. It seems likely that Mr Bonar Law’s health may become as much a part of the history of England as Chatham's gout, though it may be regarded perhaps as a testimonial to the general robustness of our statesmen that so much anxiety should be displayed on the subject just now, says a correspondent in the Manchester Guardian. No one would name the labours of a Prime Minister or Secretary of State as decidedly among the healthy occupations, and yet few of the holders of these offices are incapacitated by ill-health. Mr Lloyd George went through his long period of power with nothing more serious than a feverish cold or a relaxed throat. Mr Asquith has always been, a striking example of sound health. Lord Balfour’s influenza was a great topic of conversation at one time, but it cannot be said to have incapacitated him to any serious extent, and Lord Salisbury was rarely ailing till the end. Campbell Bannerman suffered cruelly from dyspepsia in his later phase, but a course of “waters” in the late summer kept him going. Gladstone was a giant physically as in other respects, and though he had to endure much agony towards the end he was remarkably healthy when actually in office. Beyond Gladstone we get into the gout period. Twenty years before his death in harness people were saying that Palmerston looked ghastly and was breaking up fast. John Russell looked always as if a puff of wind would blow him away, but he was tough-fibred none the less. Melbourne had powers of sleep during heated Cabinet meetings which probably kept him going, and Grey, old man as he was, executed a dance to celebrate his freedom from power. The younger Pitt was much of an invalid, though he did far more than an invalid’s work in the world.