The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-27 00:00:00

THE LATE SIR F. BURDETT.

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Many reports are in circulation relative to the imme-
diate cause of Sir Francis Burdett's death. We have
instituted several inquiries upon the subject, and the
following facts may be relied upon :—lt lies been said
in many influential quarters, and by individuals of un-
doubted veracity, who were about the person of Sir
Francis, that the Hon. Baronet was a victim to what is
termed the hydropathic system of treatment. We know
for a fact, that on the Bth of October, 1843, Sir F.
Burdett placed himself under the professional care of an
hydropathist who has an establishment in the neighbour-
' hood of London. He was confidently assured that if he
adopted the " water cure" he would have no return of
the gout, and, in fact, that all tendency to the disease
would be removed. Sir Francis, accordingly, subjected
himself to the treatment. Contrary, however, to the
predictions of his medical adviser, early in December
following he had a return of his old enemy. At this
period Lady Burdett became seriously ill, and Sir
Francis was compelled to leave the hydropathic estab-
lishment. He, lu,wever,frequently visited the institution,
and continued to use the cold water remedies, both
at the establishment and at his own house. Lady Bur-
dett (who, although strongly recommended, was not
permitted to adopt the hydropathic mode of cure) died
ef acir,hus of tha stomach. She was attended by Dr.
Fergusson and Sir B. Brodie. Sir Francis (so great,
was his faith in the plan he was pursuing) persisted al-
most to the very last in maintaining that had Lady Bur •
dett submitte-d to the cold water treatment her life would
have been prolonged. On the very day upon which
Lady Burdett was to have been buried Sir Francis was
seized with an attack of haemorrhage from the lungs. Up
to the Saturday previously to Sir Francis's death the
hydropathist gas in attendance, bs.t at that time Miss
Burdett Coutts peremptorily refused to allow any more
hydropathic experiments to be tried upon her father
without the full co:.currence of his physician. Shortly
subsequent to this a physician in the metropolis, who had
frequently been in attendance upon Sir Francis, re-
ceived a communication from Miss Burdett Coutts, in
which she said, that she had no hesitation in asserting
that the cold Water treatment had destr"yed one of the
noblest constitutions ever given to man; that it had re-
duced Sir F. Burdett to a state of great debility, from
which it was impossible for him to recover. She also
expressed her determination to resist the further use of
such quackeries; unless sanctioned by the medical gen-
t'emen who had been consulted. The proximate cause
of Sir F. Burdett's death is said to have been an affec-
tion of the lungs, and subsequently of the brain, arising,
as it is stated, from a translation of the gout from the
extremities to the above-named vital organs. For this
attack he was attended by Dr. Farr. Sir F. Burdett was
quite delirious for at least 24 hours preceding his dis-
solution, and recognised no person near his death-bed.
It has been said that so wedded was Sir Francis to the
unfortunate cold water delusion, that he was in the habit
of riding out on horseback enveloped in wet towels. He
thought highly of hydropathy, but he had extended the
same confidence previously to St. John Long's mode of
treatment, as well as. to homoeopathy'. The death of
Lady Burdett no doubt affected Sir 1 rancis much. In
allusion to her demise, he was heard to say a short
period before his fatal illness supervened, that he did not
wish for death, as he had yet much to do. Owing to
the sudden nature of Sir F. Burdett's attack, Lady
Burdett's funeral was suspended. The husband and wife
are now both to be interred on the same day.—Tiincs.