HALFORD, Henry (1766-1844); & Matthew BAILLIE (1761-1823). Four autograph letters signed by Henry Halford and one by Matthew Baillie to Robert Berwick Were, the surgeon attending Frederica, Duchess of York, 4 May 1820 - early August 1820, together 11 pages, 8vo and 4to (occasional creasing and tears). The earliest letter from Halford notifies Were of his intention to visit and asks him to 'preserve some of the water'; the next begs Were to 'prevail upon the Duchess to take a draught', giving the ingredients, with instructions to give her two doses so he may see the effect when he visits; Baillie writes on 26 July 1820, 'I am sorry that the draughts do not perfectly agree with the stomach of Her Royal Highness' and sends an amended prescription, adding that progress in 'diminishing swellings of the limbs and improving difficulty of breathing ... is very gradual'; a letter from Halford on the 30th instructs Were to 'let Physic give way to food often as even the Duchess may be inclined to prefer the latter to the former', changing a prescription; the final letter in the series expresses hopes for the Duchess's progress but asks for regular reports. Princess Frederica Charlotte Ulrica Catherine (1767-1820), eldest daughter of Frederick William II, King of Prussia, married Frederick, Duke of York (second son of George III) on 29 September 1791. The princess was received with great enthusiasm in London, and the match brought Frederick a grant of £18,000 from parliament, but the couple soon parted, and Frederica spent the remainder of her life in retirement at Oatlands Park, Surrey. Both Halford and Baillie were Physicians Extraordinary to George III; the latter was the author of The morbid anatomy of some of the most important parts of the human body (1795). (5)
HALFORD, Henry (1766-1844); & Matthew BAILLIE (1761-1823). Four autograph letters signed by Henry Halford and one by Matthew Baillie to Robert Berwick Were, the surgeon attending Frederica, Duchess of York, 4 May 1820 - early August 1820, together 11 pages, 8vo and 4to (occasional creasing and tears). The earliest letter from Halford notifies Were of his intention to visit and asks him to 'preserve some of the water'; the next begs Were to 'prevail upon the Duchess to take a draught', giving the ingredients, with instructions to give her two doses so he may see the effect when he visits; Baillie writes on 26 July 1820, 'I am sorry that the draughts do not perfectly agree with the stomach of Her Royal Highness' and sends an amended prescription, adding that progress in 'diminishing swellings of the limbs and improving difficulty of breathing ... is very gradual'; a letter from Halford on the 30th instructs Were to 'let Physic give way to food often as even the Duchess may be inclined to prefer the latter to the former', changing a prescription; the final letter in the series expresses hopes for the Duchess's progress but asks for regular reports. Princess Frederica Charlotte Ulrica Catherine (1767-1820), eldest daughter of Frederick William II, King of Prussia, married Frederick, Duke of York (second son of George III) on 29 September 1791. The princess was received with great enthusiasm in London, and the match brought Frederick a grant of £18,000 from parliament, but the couple soon parted, and Frederica spent the remainder of her life in retirement at Oatlands Park, Surrey. Both Halford and Baillie were Physicians Extraordinary to George III; the latter was the author of The morbid anatomy of some of the most important parts of the human body (1795). (5)
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
