Insanity of George III.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 168, 4 September 1886, Page 6

Insanity of George 111.

GKOR«ft ll sni Swhoiiwaason ftfef !%?» fc* fifty.nlnelea& ahdfwttbf led attthe ripe. •ttadkß Of insanity. : The first atttaok^hqwed itself' in 1765, after he had/been-on the. throne for five yearsj whenn*© 1 wjw only ?27« years of 'age.' * the' period luntil 1810 ■ ho had relapses, amounting to Jfive attacks In all. 'He 1 made, apparently,^complete re 1 coverieV from air these 1 eftoept l the*' last-, * which occurred ten yearV before he died.' '-. These periodical 'attack's oftfnganity were< of short duration, the average 1 being six months. The^ symptoms of the first wsre jstudiously kept from^hVworld^tla'fge and from tho members of his famHyand house* hold. 1 Bating his illness seVen physicians ministered 1 to his- wants.* * Pitt was .rather astonished at having revealed' to . him* some important- State eecreta u from the King, His 'condition was - one ofn melancholia, attended with sheddirig of tears and much constitutional mischief. ?->He was irritable * no 4 oW* to • oppose -him • or' (to contradict' him in anything. He did not often "realise*' his ' real ■ mental i : state; but ' 'would declare that he was ma be had 'over been in his life. He would,- without any reason, become dissatisfied with his Ministers and draW up a list of fresh 0 '6neß. s Dr. 1 Warren*" waB his chief ' *nd; favourite -phyeieian. • > This eminent doctor was, in addition to being the - royal' physician, also retained as medical attendant by the leading statesmen of the time -Burke, Fox and Sheridan. He was considered to be the head of his profession. Dr. Warren being a ■ general physician*, it 1 was ultimately considered desirable^, to have a specialist in attendance, on* him. The Rev. Dr. Francis Willis was chosen for this object. In addition' to ministering to the spiritual wants of his parishioners, he would try his skill in brain affections, and to such an extent were his efforts successful that he established an institution for the care 'of the insane, ' and, • having made a name in that branch of his profession, was chosen- as ' the " mad doctor ""to the King. Though at the age of 70 years, when appointed to the post of medical specialist to George 111, he fully retained his talents and faculties to tbe'very utmost, " a' man of ten thousand, open, honest, dauntless, light-hearted, innocent and highminded." He- toot up his residence at the palace, being always in attendance on his Majesty. The medical treatment was arranged in a morning consultation ; and it was understood by the other doctors that Dr. Willis was not to undertake any decided step in the treatment of his patient until after the physicians had met, the other doctors visiting in stated order and' rotation. Two surgeons and apothecaries were also retained, doing their amount of duty as prescribed. The medicinal treatment was purely of a tonic and saline description, the remedy principally used baiDg cinchona bark. At the time of which I write mechanical restraint occupied a prominent part in the management of the insane, »nd to this now almost exploded form of treatment the King was subjected. There was nothing in hia condition which justified the use of it, judging from our present view' of the matter. ' The King himself did not after his convalescence regard the restraint system as harsh ; for one day, walking through the palace after his recovery from one of his attacks, he remarked : "It is the best friend I ever had in my life." alluding to a strait waistcoat, which had net been put away. In 17SS, during his second attack, in consequence of its length, and the questions before Parliament being of the most vital importance in their issue, it was found necessary to draw the attention of Parliament to the' desirability of providing a regency to manage the State affairs. It was universally agreed that the Prince of Wales should act as Regent. There were, however, dissensions between the Whigs and Tories as to what powers he should assume in his regency. A committee of the House was appointed to examine the physicians," the "reports of euch examinations being laid upon, the table. A few days after this committee eat the following questions were submitted to the physicians : "Is his Majesty incapable by reason of the present state of his health of coming to Parliament or of attending to public business? What hopes are there of recovery? Is your answer on this question founded upon the particular symptom of his Majesty's case, or your experience of the disorder ia general ? Can you form any judgment or probable conjecture of the time his Majesty's illness is likely to last? Can you assign any cause for* his illness ? Do you see any signs of convalescence?" The answers were not, on the whole, satisfactory, except the one relating to his probable recovery, which was answered, in the affirmative. The King did recover, but only to have, a further relapse, and during this time all public business was at a standstill. Lord- Eldon, the Lord Chancellor, an intimate friend of the King, - was held personally responsible for many of the strange actions performed by- his Majesty during bis mental derangement. This state of affairs went on until the time of his last seizure in 1812 ; though at times even then taking deep interest in politics, he was generally* completely mentally incapacitated. He frequently shed tears. He fancied that he was dead/ and one day remarked; *'I must have •a : suit of black .in memory of general mourning:" '"He talked to" imaginary individuals, his memory : a * complete blank, ©specially for recent events; f Toward the end of 1319 his appetite failed him,- and in IS2O it was found impossible to keep him waring ' arid !he "gradually sank and' l died; January 19, J lB2or— " Pall Mall' Gazette,'-' / ' -'"* ' - ■ '" ' ' * '■' '•- ' i ft: 7 ' ,