Star. — London, England, 1812-01-16 00:00:00

. . PARLMALENT4Rr PROCEEDIATS. HOUSE OF LORDS, JAN. 15. The Commissioners of the Customs presented several Mutual Accounts a, directed by Act of Parliarnent—Mr. Dawes (rota the Bank of England the Accounts relative to Bank Notes, or dered on Thursday last—Mr. Haworth, from the Exchequer, the Accounts of the Consolidated Fur.d. &c. ordered by the House— and Mr. Mitford, from the Treasury, Annual Accounts of the - Serring Fishery, Northern Lighthouses, &e —ordered to lie on the table, and the Accounts respecting Bank Notes sad the Con solidated Fend to be printed. HEARING OF APPEALS, &C. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack before three o'clock, and pursuant to the Order of the Day, their Lordships proceeded to take into consideration the merits of the various Petitions from parties, praying for further time to , lay before the House the necessary papers and documents, in illus tration of their respective cases. A number of the Solicitors and Agents attended, and were questioned at the bar respecting the truth of the allegations in the petitions and other points connected with the subject. The prayers of the petitioners were in general agreed to, and the par ties were ordered to have further time, more or less. The ma jority of the cases, as usual, were Scots, and on one of these par ticuLuly, where the principal object of the proposed delay (a' rather distant interval being mentioned), was to suit the conve nience of certain Scots Counsel to attend. • The LORD CHANCELLOR took occasion to express strongly his disapprobation of a practice, respecting which, too much indulgeuce had hitherto obtained, and which, be trusted, would IPM be the ease in future. The decision of the House on this Petition, as well as on a few est the others, was postponed till to-morrow. STATE OP HIS MAJESTY'S HEALTH. Earl CAMDEN (Lord President) presented the Report of the Lords - Committees, on their examina tion of the Royal Physicians respecting the actual state of his Majesty's health, which was ordered to be printed for the use of their Lordships, REPORT PROM THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO EXAMINE THE PHYSICIANS WHO HAVE AT CENDID HUI MAJESTY DURING HIS ILLNESS, TOUCH ING THE STATE OF HIS MAJESTY'S HEALTH. CRUXES BT TILT NOOSE OF COMMONS TO BE ?MANTIS, 13111 JANUARY, 181!. The Select Committee appointed to examine the Physkiaos who have attended his Majesty, touching the state of his Majesty's Health, since the Examination of his Majesty's Physicians be fore a Cittnmittee of this House in the last Session of Parlia ment, and to report such examination to the House, have, pur suant to the Order of the House, examined the Physicians ac cordingly, which Examination is as follows; Youth,. 10 Die Januarii, 1812. The Right Hon. CHARLES LONG, in the Chair. Dr. MATTHEW BAILLIE s called in, and examined. Is the state of his Majesty's health such as to ren der him incapable of coming to his Parliament in person, or of attending to any kind of public busi ness?—The state of his Majesty's health is such as to render him incapable of coming to Parliament, or of attending to public business. What is the state of his Majesty's bodily health ? ....His Majesty's bodily health, when I left him on Monday last, and generally of late, has been but lit tle disordered. What is the present state of his Majesty's mental health ?—The errors of his Majesty's mind seem to be as strongly impressed upon it, as during any part of his illness • but his Majesty has, within the last few weeks, b een able to relate anecdotes more dis tinctly, than for two or three months before that •period. • Adverting to the state of his Majesty's bodily and ,I ;mental health since yat was last examined before al Committee of this House, are you now of opinion, I, that his Majesty's recovery is probable, or improba ble ?—I think that his Majesty's recovery is highly improbable. - Are you of opinion that his Majesty's recovery is hopeless t—l cannot state that his Majesty's recovery ° is altogether without hope, but I think it is still ex tremely improbable. Oa what do you ground your opinion, that his Majesty's recovery is highly improbable ?—I think his Majesty's recovery is highly improbable, because his illness has continued for many months; and his mental health is in a considerably worse state than it was eight or ten months ago • because his Majesty is considerably adtanced in life ; and because his Majesty's present indisposition has assumed a more determined form than in any of his former illnesses. Has his Majesty's present degree of mental infir mity taken place gradually, or suddenly ?—The pre vent degree of his Majesty's mental infirmity may be =gill to have taken place rather suddenly : he was in a much better state of mental health•towards the end of June ; early in July his mind was impressed with i - a the errors which have continued since. Have you ever known an instance of any person exactly circumstanced as his Majesty now is in point of mental health, recovering ?—My experience, in complaints of this general class, is very limited. I have not known any case resembling very exactly in •; , sill its features that of his Majesty. The only person that I have known, about his Majesty's time of life, tehose mental health was deranged, did not recover. At the time of the sudden chavge from better to Worse in liis Majesty's mental health, in the month • cf July, was his bodily health much impaired, and 'was his life in danger ?—I cannot recollect the mi • mute circumstances attending the derangement of his • bodily health, at that exact period ; but the general iinpreseian which remains on my mind is, that his bodily health was not worse at that time than it has been through the general course of his indisposition. Were the paroxysms of mental disorder 4 that time such and so violent, or are they so now, as dur ing their continuance to bring his Majesty's life into danger from their effect ?—ln some of the most vio - lent paroxysms of his Majesty's complaint, he may perhaps be said to have been in some hazard, but it never appeared to me to be considerable. With re- B ari to the present state of his disorder, I believe that his life is in no haxard whatever. Can you state how long ago it is since you folineLl an opinion That his Majesty's recovery was improba. Isle ?—j began to be less confident about his Majesty's recovery, at the time of the Report of July ; in chi be g iawn s of October I thought his Majesty's reco • very very improbalde ; and now my opinion with re : spect to the improbability of his Majesty's recover) - is rather strenkhened than weakened. Lln yoUr opilion, are his Majesty's faculties of per t cepti . on and mcmcry impaired in any material degree ? ....lits Majesty's incepuon and aperdcusion seem to me to be as acute at present as during any part of What Is the present itate of his Majesty's mental his indisposition—his memory seems to he impaired, health ?--His Majesty's mental health is insane. but in a very inconsiderable degree. [Withdrew.] ' Adverting to the state of his Majesty's mental and bodily health, during his present indispontion, as Far Dr. N'srteetAu HIUSERDEN called in, and examined. - as it his come under your observation, are you now Is the state of his Majesty's health such as to ren- of opinion that his Majesty's recovery is probable or der him incapable of coming in person to his Parlia- improbable I—l think his Majesty's recovery is im.l ment, or of attending ,to any public business I—lt is such as to render him incapable of coming in person probable. In what degree do you consider his Majesty's ve to his Parliament, or of attending to any public be- covery to be improbable I—l think it to be very im siuess. probable. What is the present state of his Majesty's bodily Are you of opinion that it is hgspeless ? Certainly not. health ? It is very little removed frcm his Majesty's On what do you found your opinion that Ms Ma. natural state of health. jesty's mental situation is not hopeless I—His Ma- What is the present state of his Majesty's mental Zesty has no symptoms of fatuity; if his Majesty had health I—His Majesty's state of mind is very much those symptoms, I should certainly consider it as a disordered. . hopeless case. Adverting to the state of his Majesty's mental and Do you consider that in all mental disorders not bodily health since your last examination before a accompanied by fatuity, there is always some hope ? Committee of the House of Commons, are you now of —I certainly think there is a chance of recovery. opinion that his Majesty's recovery is probable or im- In the course of your practice have you frequently probable ?—lmprobable. had hopes founded upon such reasoning realised ?-- In what degree do you consider it as improbable ? Certa i n l y. —lt is highly improbable, but not in an extreme Have you ever known a patient circumstanced as degree. his Majesty is, as to mental disorder and period of Are you of opinion that his Majesty's recovery is life; recover ?—I have known patients older than his hopeless ?—No. . Islajesty recover. Is it your opinion that the prospect of his Majesty's With the same degree of mental disorder I—Not recovery is all but hopeless I—No. His Majesty, with the same de of mental disorder • I have seen from the middle of July last till about the second ver y f ew c as t s of persons so old as his Majesty. week of December, appeared vi me to be more uni. Do you conceive that the peculiar situation of his formly disordered iu his mind than he has been since Majesty, circumstanced as he is, with regard to his that period; had the same degree of disorder still regal dignity, has any effect upon his distemper?— continued, I might perhaps consider his Majesty's I think there is a vast deal of irritation about his condition as almost hopeless, but the subsequent int. Majesty, which is seldom seen in patients in general. provement, slight as it has been, makes me think al. Do you conceive that any degree or portion.of his together more favourably of the termination. Majesty's disorder is ascribable to his being a King I In what has that slight improvement consisted ? —I think, certainly, that the anxiety and cares of It consists in a greater power of conversation, and in government may possibly have contributed to Ilk• having laid aside some erroneous notions with which di sor d er . his Majesty had'been before possessed. At this moment do you think that the sense of his Is it to be understood that his Majesty's mind is , own situation, as being the Sovereign of the country, not so much impressed with the errors which had pos- has any effect one way or qther upon the state of his session of it before, as he was in the middle of the mental health I—l should tink not. month ofJely last I—The errors to which I allude, . Does his Majesty shew any anxiety on the stillect had grown up in his Majesty's mind, between the i o f p u bli c a ff a i rs ?—I hav e had very few opportunities middle of July and the end of August ; from the 2d ! of seeing his Majesty ; during my presence with him week in December his Majesty's mind has appeared I I have not observed any thing of the kind. to me to be dearer, and more free from error, than I Do you conceive that his Majesty's station has, or it had been in the latter part of August. I has bad, or is likely to have any, and what effect Do the errors which existed in his Majesty's mind : upon his mental disorder I—l conceive that his Ma. before the middle of July last, still continue to exist 1 jesty has not suffered from his high situation, as far in the same degree as they did formerly I—The errors l as I have had an opportuity of observing, during my and general character of his Majesty's disorder, since 1 attendance. the middle of July, have appeared to me altogether I Do you think that the reflection upon his own regal different from what they were in any previous part of • state, when his mind is in a state of progress towards his Majesty's illness ; and though some ideas may still recovery, might have any effect either in retarding or remain which possessed his Majesty's mind early in , accelerating that recovery ?—I think it might have his disorder, the greater part of them have grown up : some effect in retarding that recovery. since the middle of Juty. I How long ago is it• since you first saw his Ma- You are understood to say, that those errors that jesty I—The first time I saw his Majesty was the 9th have possessed the mind of the King, between the . middle of Julf and the 2d week in December, were I of j H ave you seen the King regularly from the 9th ctober. quite distinct from those that had possessed it pre. lof October ?—I have been at Windsor tea different viously to the middle of July ?—Yes. I times ; the first seven weeks I was there once a week, And you are understood to say, that those errors 1 went on the Ft iday, and came back on the Saturday ; were removed, or very much diminished at least ?-1 the three last visits once a fortnight. Some of them have been removed. Have you witnessed any improvement in the King's State whether the errors which possessed his Ma.: mental state latterly ?--I am not aware of any im jesty's mind before the middle of July, still continue i provement. [Withdrew.] to possess it ?—I believe I must go into some history of his Majesty's complaint, from as long ago as Fe- .SAMUEL- VOART SIMMONS, called in, and examined. Dr bruary last to the end of April. His Majesty had ap- Is the state of his Majesty's health such as to ren peered to be getting materially better in the months ' der him incapable of coming in person to his Parliae of April, May, and June, there was very little of dig.' ment, or of attending to any kind of public business ? order exhibited ; early in July jhere seemed to be a —lt certainly is. I fresh accession of disorder, so distinct in its charac- What is the present state of his Majesty's bodily ter, from his Majesty's previous state, that I look health I—Upon the whole, very good. upon it as indeed a new complaint. I What is the present state of his Majesty's mental `Did the old complaint continue to subsist along health I—A state of great derangement. with the new complaint :or when the new complaint ! Adverting to the state of his Majesty's mental and manifested itself in the mind, did the old complaint bodily health, during his present indisposition, as far seem to be extinguished I—When the new complaint 'as it has come under your observation, are you of arose early in July, though his Majesty was not well , opinion that his Majesty's recovery is probable, or from his former disorder, yet I am not conscious that improbable ?—lmprobable. there were any particular errors that atthat time rested I In what degree do you conceive hto be improba ble upon his mind. ' l—lt is difficult, perhaps impossible to say. I , Do any of the errors that possessed his Majesty's I Are you of opinion that it is hopeless ?—I am not. mind before the middle of last July, now possess it I— i How long have you attended the King I—From His Majesty's mind is still pcssessed with the same the 9th day of October. sort of false reasoning; but lam not aware, that for I Upon what do you ground your opinion, that the some time previous to the commencement of the pre- King's recovery is improbable I—On the different at sent disorder in July, there were any false facts upon tacks, and the repeated attacks that his Majesty has his Majesty's mind. I had ; his age ; and what I have observed occasion- Then the error of his Majesty's mind, as you are ' ally of the symptoms of the disease under which he understood to state, previous to July, was merely now labours. that of false reasoning ; are you to be understood Did you ever see any personas old as his Majesty, ' that that was the sole error of his Majesty's mind and labouring under the some degree of mental de. previous to that 1-1 think for two or three months rangement recover?—Several. ' previous to July, that had been the state of his Ma. i Did you ever see any person as oldas his Majesty, I jesty's mind. and who bad so long laboured under the same de- Does that propensity of the mind still continue 1— ' gree of mental infirmity, recover ? I have seen per. Yes. i sons as old as his Majesty recover, after, I think, a Did that fait! reasoning extend itself to many sub. longer duration of the disease than the present at. jects or did it confine itself to a few?—lt was prin- tack. cipally confined to a few; but there were many sub- ' After as many repeated attacks as his Majesty has jects upon which his Majesty's judgment could not had I—With respect to the number of attacks, I have be ousted. . had occasion, in hospital practice, to see persons, who Does his Majesty's mind continue to be engaged have gone through I long life, occasionally subject to upon those particular subjects on which you say it attacks of this kind ; I have known persons attacked was principally engaged at that period I—Yes. ten, twelve, or more times, and recover from each of 1 When his Majesty's mind runs upon those subjects, those attacks. on which you say it was principally engaged, is it And died of age at last ?—Yes. subject now to the same false reasoning it was then f ' Not in.a state of insanity I—l cannot immediately —Yes. I recollect instances, but I believe I may venture to say, You have said that you consider his Majesty's re- that I have known same die of other disease, and not covery as highly improbable ; have you ever known in a state of insanity. any person circumstanced is mental health as the' Their last attack having come upon them at the King is now circumstanced, and of the same age as age his Majesty has now attained ?—That is hazard. his Majesty, recover from an illness such as his Ma- ing a great deal ; it would require time and reference ji!sty's?—l never knew any person under the same . to records to answer that question ; but I certainly circumstances of disorder and age as his Majesty. I have seen patients as old and much older than his How long have you been of opinion that his Ma. ' Majesty, recover from attacks of this kind. jesty's recovery was highly improbable 1--Perhaps I You say that you consider his Majesty's recovery 'from the latter endeof August. [Withdrew.3 as improbable I—l do. Dr. Toomes Muwao called in and examined. You say you have known persons as old as his Ma jesty,l: the state of his Majesty's health such as to ren. tal derangement, recover?—Yes. der him incapable of coming in person to his Partin. I 'r why do you think his Majesty's recovery im. 1 ment, or of attending to any kind of public business? • probable ?—Because the number of recoveries of per -I think his Majesty's state is such as to render him sous of that age is very small in comparison with . ~incapable of comtag to his Parliament, or of doing the number of recoveries of those that are younger, any public business. the instances of recovery become less in the advan. What is the present state of his Majesty's bodily cod per i o d s o f • life. In St. Lake's Hospirel, we find health ?—:-The present state of his Majestj's bod ily to health is tolerably good. I that be sO much the case, that for the last three pars, it bas *a Norlyal to admit no person above the age of seventy ; before thee, wet wart not restrict, ed in point of age ; and, in the coursed about thirty years, there have occurred (for I looked OM she Re. ports). about seventy-eight instances of person of seventy years and upwards who had been admit' Ime s and of that number only about sixteen had been 4 1 . charged from the books of the Hospital as coed 1 whereas, taking the whole number of patients, &o no that period, the number amounting to above et; thousand, about one half, or very nearly half, have recovered, but only one patient in five of that ado*. ced age have recovered. Is not the state of his V i njesty's constitution and g e . neral health remarkably strong, considering t* nod of his life ?—His Majesty's constitution u so eit that I should rate him as a man of 60, in pain o f health, now at this moment. Have yon perceived latterly any symptoms of i ll , provemcnt in his Majesty's mental health? I ha t thought, far the last month, his Majesty desk anecdote, and seemed inclined to listen to what se a said to him by those about him, rather more than a s did at the beginning of any attendance. Do you consider that as any material syttptom improvement ?—I have thonht it rather a go c o k tz eU Do the symptoms of his jetty's present differ in any respect, and in what, from those which you had an opp ortunity of observing when you at . tended his Majesty its his illness in 1804 ?—The rook of his Majesty's ideas is very different from what [twa t in 1804 ; the fact is, that the symptoms of meant disease must be, in a great degree, the ideas of tieut i his not like a bodily disease, you an judge of the state of a man's mind only from the ideas is gives forth, and they are, in many respects, very dab ferent from what they were wheal attended his Ma. jetty before, Do the difference which you observed in his Ms. jetty's present and past state lead you to form conch, sums more or less unfavourable to his ultimate reco. very ?—More unfavourable. Have you ever discovered any symptom:of fatuity in hit Majesty's case ?—I have not. Do you, on account of the absence of that symptom, think less unfavourably of his Majesty's recovery ? More favourably. Have you been in the habit of classing thediffereet descriptions, of mental disorder ?—That is a matter o( so much difficulty, that I have not attempted ;tsar more than the common distinction of mania and an, lancholia • low spirits and high spirits , or more or lee of irritability. Do you conceive the loss of sight in his Majesty would have any effect in retarding or accelerating* recovery, or rendering it more or less probable ?, The number of cases of bliud parses: that I harem; with, who have been insane, has bee; extremely small they do not amount to more thast seven or eight; they have been all of them unfavowahle cases . ; snit it is difficult to say what effect bliadness may has with respect to the treatment of an insane person, in some points it may be favourable, but in genes! one would suppose it was rather unfavourable. Yoa cannot guile and manage the patient as well as he could see. Do you mean by unfavourable easies t cases in whisk the patieut does not recover ?—Yes. Do you conceive that the reflection span his t state, when his Majesty's mind is in a state of piss, rem towards recovery, might have any effect woo ever in retarding or accelerating that recoverroalib Majesty has appeared to retain e consciommen of regal state, an t that seems to have given a petvht feature to his disorder, and makes it insole* degree different from that of an ordinary rase; but I she* find it very difficult to say how far that would reta4 or promote his recovery l it makes the case felts; more difficult to conduct, Have the goodness to state, whether you toils tin Majesty's perceptions as clear and diatinet Majesty's perceptions, with respect to any object tint are presented to him, are correct; but he has a cum ber of ideas floating in his mind that are exam* erroneous. But he judges of the ohjetis umnsedialsir around him, his food andthete things, with great PIP cision ; speaks of the goodness of a dish, wombs he likes it or not, and knows every thing presented * him ; so far his perception is correct, Does his Majesty's memory appear to bo rut snit feeeedt..His memory is firm and good. Do you draw any inference from that • - • with respect to the probability or improbability recovery ?..-That is certainly a favow able MAC& [Witbdrelv t .r t Lem, 13 ire Jerteara, 1812. The Right Hon. Czosintaa Loam in the Chair. Dr. Sir HXNIIT Mumma Bart. called ine 04 examined. Is the state of his Majesty's health such as 19 1 ! der him incapable of coming in to his ' ment, or of attending to any kinic x :f in p n nblic tenitim —lt is such as to render him incapable of corning to his Parliament, or of attending to any kind of jobir business.. What is the present state of his Majesty's bad health I—Not good, by any means, What is the present state of his Majesty's health ?—Extremely disordered. Adverting to the state of his Majesty's bog . Lia i mental health, since your last efiAlnination D'z' a Committee of the House of Commons, are yI of opinion that his Majesty's recovery is pruball improbable ?—lmprobable. In what degree do you consider it as improbaik —Very improbable. Are you of opinion that his Majesty's wow? hopeless On what do you found the opinion, that his 16 ` tsty's recovery is not hopeless, that very iials", able I—lt is very improbable, froth the chare , his present symptoms; from the duration of die& order, and from his Majesty's advanced period_eflit but, above all, from the influence of bis Merr ,peculiar satiation and circumstances, upon his irtio Me constitution. But his Majesty's faculties tiro E. Sian memory are net impaired. did you fist form an opinion that ths very of his Majesty was very intpmbable ?Al *links; of July last 1 thought it improbable; the continuance of b;s symptoms since that sir made it very improbable, in my opinion. Do you expect that his Majesty will recce do not expect that be will recover. Is bis moiesty in a state to converse upoo affairs I—Certainly not, Has dm beta any period lime your last er