she had taken; and at this moment her pulse was firm, steady, and under a hundred. She again was composed. About half past twelve, however, the breathing became impeded; the respiratory organs were evidently under the influence of spasm, and continued in that state until she breathed her last, at half-past two o'clock; exactly five hours and a half after her delivery.

In this afflicting state of the case, Dr. Baillie and Dr. Sims, who had been called into the room when the breathing first became affected, united their judgment and their skill with that of Sir Richard Croft, but in vain, to avert the impending calamity. Art proved unavailing, although every thing which it could devise, and which experience could suggest, was attempted.

On the seventh of November the body was opened by Sir Everard Home, assisted by Sir David Dundas, Mr. Brande, and the Apothecary of Prince Leopold's household; and we believe, the following is a pretty accurate statement of the appearances these gentlemen observed:

The membranes of the brain presented their natural aspect. The vessels of the pia mater were less distended with blood than was to be expected after so severe a labour. The ventricles of the brain contained very little fluid. The plexus choroides was of a pale colour, and the substance of the brain had its natural texture.

The pericardium contained two ounces of red coloured fluid. The heart itself and the lungs were in a natural state. The stomach contained nearly three pints of liquid. The colon was distended with air. The kidneys and other abdominal viscera were in a natural state.

The uterus contained a considerable quantity of blood, and extended as high up in the abdomen as the navel; and the hour-glass contraction was still very apparent.

The foregoing narrative throws very little light upon the immediate cause of the death of the Princess. The fluid found in the pericardium might have obstructed the due action of the heart; but it is not easy to account for its presence there, nor to conceive how so large a quantity could have been effused during the short space of time that supervened to delivery, before the breathing became impeded. The quantity of the blood which was found in the uterus might have induced exhaustion; but this opinion can only be conjectural, as it is impossible to draw any certain inference from the rather indefinite expression "considerable," contained in the Report of

the Surgeons. Imagination, indeed, has been busy, and a phalanx of casual circumstances have been arranged to account for the dissolution; some of which are ungenerously and too unguardedly, not to say maliciously, calculated to attach blame to her attendants; but we must deprecate such expositions, as unjust to the individuals concerned, and in no degree honourable to the profession.

We have been informed that the whole of the Royal Family are liable to spasms of a violent description; and to this he reditary predisposition, and the increased excitability of the amiable sufferer, owing to the tedious nature of the labour, are we left to ascribe an event which has destroyed the flattering hopes of the nation, and lopped off the fairest branch from the stem of its monarchal succession.

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS
CHARLOTTE.

FROM THE LONDON MEDICAL AND PHYSICAL JOURNAL. (Published by John Souter.)

THERE is a certain court etiquette which prevents an authenticated account after the demise of an illustrious female. This is not confined to the Royal Family:-when the late Dutchess of Devonshire died, the examination of the body was delivered, sealed, to her widowed consort. Like most other secrets, however, the important events gradually transpire; and, though for the reason above-mentioned, we can plead no direct authority, yet the various sources from which the whole of the following history has been confirmed, are sufficient to satisfy us that they are generally true. Nor does it lessen the validity of our report, if after all the circumstances we have collected, the cause of the fatal issue should not be perfectly ascertained. Every medical man is aware that the same difficulty occurs daily, more commonly in the most ele

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vated ranks.

Medical Reports.

It was an observation of the learned and ingenious Dr. Denman, that the inferior animals suffer less by parturition; and that females, the nearer they approach to a state of nature, for the most part suffer the least. A lively illustration he offers of this, in the difference which the Egyptian midwives remarked between those females about the court of Pharoah, and the Israelitish women in a state of bondage. Let us now consider the situation of her Royal Highness. Just relieved from all the trammels of state, and from the apprehension of an union repugnant to her wishes, and even associated with the further apprehensions of expatriation, she found herself united to the husband of her choice-a felicity rarely experienced by females, and least of all in that exalted rank. At first a temporary gloom prevailed, lest her own hopes, the hopes of her husband, of her family, and of the empire, should be disappointed. At length she became as those who love their lords would wish to be;" and, as this became more and more confirmed, all her prospects of earthly happiness seemed completed. Retired from the busy world, she had leisure to indulge this happiness in all its fulness. Her whole society, the females of her choice; and, when she thought proper, the intercourse of one to whose presence on an approaching period it was desirable that she should be familiarised. To complete this felicity, the resi dence was on a spot rendered classical by two of our celebrated poets in their best performances. The beauties of Esher and of the Mole, (report informs us,) had been selected to embellish a present to her husband; and, in the morning exercises, near the banks of the Thames, how often must she have reminded her companion of those lines which prove that the language she was teaching him is susceptible of all the music, if not of all the softness, of the Italian.

"Oh! could I make thy sweetly-flowing stream
My bright example, as it is my theme;
Though deep, yet clear-gentle, yet not dull,
Strong, without rage-without o'erflowing full."

Such appears to have been the uninterrupted tenor of a life too felicitous perhaps to be permanent in this transitory state of existence. It seems to bear a resemblance to that preternatural state of health from which the great father of physic teaches us to apprehend so much. But this is not all :-The

whole period of gestation and parturition, it is well known, iş a state of preternatural power and action. It is not difficult to guess what it must have proved with these additional excitements. We have reason to believe, though we know nothing from authority, that pains were taken to repress as much as possible a morbid excess of animal spirits, the effects of which were apprehended: but it is well known, that this is not only out of the power of the physician, but often of the patient herself.

Her Royal Highness may be said to have been fifty hours in labour, but with no dangerous symptoms, not being confined to bed during the greater part of that time. At length, the slow progress induced Sir Richard Croft to wish the sanction of another physician-accoucheur, probably lest it should become doubtful whether instruments should be used. Dr. Sims arrived about two o'clock on Wednesday morning, (November 5th), and from that time the intercourse between him and Sir Richard was perpetual; but nothing occurred in the opinion of either to justify any thing beyond the ordinary means. The length of time, and other events, induced the apprehension of a still-born child; and under this impression, the necessary apparatus for re-animation was in readiness.

At nine o'clock on Wednesday evening, her Royal Highness was delivered of a still-born child, which, as far as we can learn, Drs. Sims and Baillie were endeavouring to re-animate, whilst Sir Richard remained with the royal mother. During the whole period, and for some time after, no unfavourable symptom occurred, excepting that her Royal Highness was less exhausted than might have been expected by so tedious a labour and the subsequent events. Sir Richard, suspecting the hour-glass contraction from the tediousness of the subsequent process, thought it right to give some assistance, having of course first consulted and obtained the concurrence of his coadjutors. All this was accomplished without difficulty, and with no apparent danger, excepting what arose from the almost unnatural composure, not to say cheerfulness, of her Royal Highness.

In this manner things remained for nearly three hours after the birth. At this time her Royal Highness was sick, and threw up part of a cardiac medicine she had taken; and, with the advice of Drs. Baillie and Sims, we have heard that an opiate was administered. Her Royal Highness remained

quite composed for some time after this, and got some sleep‹ but about a quarter before twelve great restlessness came on; and Sir Richard Croft found it necessary to call in the other physicians. From that time the fatal issue advanced rapidly; a slight difficulty in swallowing, which soon subsided, added to the sickness, was all that had previously occurred. But from this time pain in the chest, great difficulty in respiration, and extreme restlessness, increased, with a rapid, irregular, and weak pulse, till the vital spark was extinguished. It is scarcely necessary even to hint, that every means of support was administered. At two o'clock on Thursday morning, her Royal Highness ceased to breathe!

The appearances after death are pretty well known. On examining the contents of the cranium, the dura mater was found natural, the vessels of the pia mater were less loaded with blood than often occurs, and the plexus choroides somewhat pale; in the ventricles was a small quantity of water; the substance of the brain natural. The pericardium contained two ounces of red fluid. The stomach a good deal of fluid, probably most of what had been taken after the sickness. The abdominal viscera were quite natural. The uterus was so little contracted as still to reach as high as the umbilicus; the hour-glass form was still apparent, it contained a considerable quantity of coagula within its cavity-from what we can learn, about a pound.

To what then are we to impute a death which has filled the whole nation with distress? A labour much longer protracted has often ended happily for mother and child; the slow contraction of the uterus, however unfavourable in itself, was unattended with any consequences which should excite alarm. The fluid in the pericardium might readily explain the severe pain in the chest, the irregularity of the pulse, and might even prevent the heart from recovering its vigorous action. Was this extravasated during the pains, and were the consequent sensations suspended for a time by the composure of the royal patient, during so long, so tedious, and without doubt often, so painful a labour? Where all is conjecture, we may be

allowed to offer ours.