| Collection | Correspondence of William IV |
| Description | John Fidge, doctor, reports on the state of Prince William's health. Fidge firstly points out that he did not have any information about the Prince's constitution when he was very young, aside from an account given by the Prince himself of an inflammation in his lungs. The doctor thinks this could have been Pleuritis, and that must have been severe if the Prince still has pains at times, and a cough. The Prince used to cure this cough by wearing a flannel upon his breast, a remedy deemed useful by the doctor. He believe the Prince's general constitution to be prone to inflammatory attacks.
Accounts of the Prince's illnesses: rheumatic fever when in the Newfoundland and attacks of fever in the West Indies, from which he fully recovered - some other men on the ship, though, died of fever in the West Indies. The doctor, thus, suggests that the Prince should not go back to the West Indies, or if he goes it has to be for a short period of time. |