general. He wished to know if it was the sense of any number of gentlemen, that a particular inquiry before a Committee of their own House would be a more regular way of proceeding, and whether the communication already made from the privy council of their minutes, was not deemed fully sufficient. He should also beg leave to state to the House, that, since their last meeting, two more physicians had been called in to attend his Majesty, one of whom was peculiarly skilled in the treatment of cases similar to that under which his Majesty unfortunately laboured. These additional physicians had also been examined before the privy council; but possibly their having been called in might, by some gentlemen, be considered as another and a cogent reason, for appointing a Committee of the House to examine the physicians. He had therefore thought it his duty to throw out these suggestions, that the House might signify their sense upon them; and also if any gentleman or any number of gentlemen, should be of opinion that it would be more satisfactory to appoint a Committee, whether by an instruction to the said Committee, they might not be empowered to search for precedents, as well as to examine the physicians, since on such an occasion as the present, it would certainly be expedient to proceed with all dispatch consistent with the solemnity of the subject. Mr. Pitt concluded with moving, "That the order of the day be read." This being done,

Mr. Vyner said, that what had fallen from the right hon. gentleman struck him as rather extraordinary. The right hon. gentleman talked of collecting the sense of the House. He wished to be informed how he could collect the sense of the House, without some motion for that purpose.

Mr. Pitt said, he had thrown out his former suggestions merely for the consideration of the House, and therefore did not think it at all extraordinary to do it in the mode that he had adopted. He perfectly well knew, that there was not any way of collecting the sense of the House fully and formally, but by a motion; but what he had endeavoured to find out, was solely, whether it was the general opinion, or the opinion of any number of gentlemen that it would be desirable to have an examination of the physicians, who had attended bis Majesty, before a committee. From the silence which prevailed, he had been led to conceive that it would be more satisfac[VOL. XXVII.]

tory to proceed in that way; and indeed, the circumstance of two more physicians having been called in, appeared to him to amount to a strong reason for such a procedure. Unless, therefore, he heard some objection to that idea, he would take the liberty of moving, "That a committee be appointed to examine the physicians who have attended his Majesty, touching the state of his health, and report such examination to the House."

Mr. Powys said, that the appointment of such a committee appeared to him to be the only way by which the House could obtain proper intelligence for them to proceed upon, and he was glad that it came recommended by such high au thority; but he entertained his doubts, whether the House could go farther on that day, than agreeing to the appointment of a committee. He explained himself to mean, that it had better be a joint committee of the two Houses, not only to make the proceeding the conjoint act of both, but as he had found, from the examination of precedents of former proceedings of an analogous nature, that the deficiency of the evidence given before a committee of that House singly (who could not administer an oath) was cured by the witnesses to be examined before a joint committee, being all sworn at the bar of the House of Lords.

Mr. Pitt said, he believed the mode of proceeding suggested by the hon. gentleman had been adopted, but for a long time abandoned, and he doubted whether it would not be advisable, in the present instance, to avoid recurring to it, as it might possibly cause much difficulty or delay. He knew the instance to which the hon. gentleman referred; but he did not believe there were four instances on the Journals; and the mode of constituting a joint committee, in those instances, had been to appoint double the number of members of that House, in proportion to the number of peers. He doubted much whether the Lords would consent to the appointment of a committee so constituted, and therefore, as it must be extremely desirable that no difference should arise between the two Houses, he thought it more prudent to appoint a committee of their own, and act upon their report.

Mr. Burke said, that he rose not to controvert any one point in the right hon. gentleman's argument, nor even to excite a doubt concerning any point which he had advanced, but merely to enter his [2 Y]

study, and have sometimes attended in conjunction with them, but have ofténer left the patients to their care, and have afterwards attended in consultation only, and in many cases not at all.

. Whether, when Dr. Warren speaks of others in similar cases to that of his Majesty, he means to include all the different species of the disorder, or to confine himself to that particular species with which his Majesty is afflicted?-I do not mean to confine myself to that particular species with which his Majesty is afflicted, but to include all the different species of the disorder.

Can Dr. Warren state how many particular species there are of this disorder?No..

Can he state any distinct species of the disorder? - Yes; though the immediate causes of this disorder cannot be ascertained, yet some of the remote ones are well known. Injuries received from blows or falls; sudden affections of the mind; the effect of fever. Besides these, there are several internal causes of this disorder; namely, exostoses, indurations, and illconformation of the parts.

Whether this disorder may not sometimes exist, when it cannot be referred to any of those causes which Dr. Warren has specified. Yes.

Is his Majesty's disorder, in your opinion, referrible to any of the causes enumerated by you, or can you assign any known cause to which, in your judgment, it is referrible?—I cannot assign his Majesty's malady to any cause whatever, as I have not data sufficient to ground an answer upon.

In those species of the disorder, which are not referrible to any assignable cause, is the probability of cure greater or less than the probability estimated on all the species taken together?-I cannot tell.

Can Dr. Warren state what the comparative probability is, in each of the causes which he has assigned?-The disorder proceeding from external injuries, such as blows, is frequently cured if medicine be expeditiously applied. When the malady arises from sudden affections of the mind, it is very frequently cured; when from the effect of fever, it is oftener cured than when from any other cause. When the malady proceeds from the internal causes mentioned above, no good can be done by medicine.

Can Dr. Warren state what proportion, of the whole number of persons afflicted

with this malady, have been so, owing to each of the causes he has enumerated, and what proportion, where it can be referred to no assignable cause? I cannot state any precise proportion; but, out of a great number, there are very few cases where it is possible to ascertain that it proceeds from any assignable cause.

Is there any one of the particular causes enumerated, to which Dr. Warren can say, that the disorder with which his Majesty is afflicted is not to be referred ?— I do not think his Majesty's disorder appears to proceed from any one of the causes enumerated by me.

Can Dr. Warren say with certainty, whether his Majesty's disorder may, or may not, have proceeded from injury by blows or falls?-I cannot.

Can Dr. Warren say with certainty, whether his Majesty's disorder may, or may not, have proceeded from sudden affections of the mind?—I cannot.

Can Dr. Warren say with certainty, whether his Majesty's disorder may, or may not, have been the effect of fever?I can say with certainty it has not.

Can Dr. Warren say with certainty, whether his Majesty's disorder may, or may not, have proceeded from any of the internal causes he has mentioned?—I cannot.

Whether, in those species of the disorder which cannot be referred to any assignable cause, the probability of cure may not be various in different cases, according to the symptoms of the particular case, or the apparent degree of the disorder?—I think not, unless signs of convalescence are coming on.

Whether the knowledge of the remote cause is of assistance towards promoting the cure?-In many cases I think it is, but sometimes not.

Whether, in his Majesty's disorder, Dr. Warren sees any present signs of convalescence?-No.

Whether every cure, in the same person, of a disorder which has returned, is included in the calculations of the whole number of cures ?-I consider every case that comes as a new case, and have included them in that calculation; but I believe that, excluding them, the majority still are cured.

Whether, of those persons whose disorder cannot be referred to any assignable cause, the greater number have, or have not been cured?—I cannot answer that with accuracy..

Has the greater number of men that have been afflicted with this disorder, recovered? Yes.

Has the greater number of persons recovered, whose disorder has lasted, without signs of convalescence, as long as that of his Majesty has already done?--Yes. Sir George Baker called in, and examined. Whether, in your opinion, the state of his Majesty's health is or is not, such as to render his Majesty incapable, either of coming to Parliament, or of attending to public business?-I think that the state of his Majesty's health is such, as renders him incapable of coming to Parliament, or of doing any other public business.

of a disorder which has returned, is included in the calculation of the whole number of cures ?—I will not undertake to answer that question.

Has the greater number of men, that have been afflicted with this disorder, recovered? I think so.

recovered, whose disorder has lasted, Has the greater number of persons without signs of convalescence, as long as that of his Majesty has already done?Yes, I can answer that in the affirmative.

Was sir George Baker in attendance upon his Majesty, as his physician, previous to his being afflicted with his present disorder?-Yes.

Whether Sir George Baker can assign any known cause, to which, in his judg ment, his Majesty's present disorder is referrible?—I can assign no known cause to which his Majesty's present disorder is referrible.

What degree of experience has sir George Baker had of the particular species of disorder with which his Majesty is afflicted? I was formerly a pupil of Dr. Batty's, who attended an hospital, where I had an opportunity of seeing many instances of this, disorder. I have likewise had private patients, from time to time, under that disorder; but whenever the disorder has been of some continuance, I have desired the assistance of physicians, who particularly attended persons so disordered.

Whether sir George Baker founds his opinion, in his answer to the second question, upon the particular symptoms of his Majesty's case, or upon his experience of the disorder in general, or upon both ?Upon my experience of the disorder in general.

Whether, in his Majesty's disorder, sir George Baker sees any present signs of convalescence? I do not see any present signs of convalescence.

Whether sir George Baker learns from experience that the greater number of persons, who have been afflicted with this disorder, have recovered?-Upon general experience, the greater part have recovered.

Whether every case in the same person,

When did that attack take place?-The first suspicion I had of this disorder was in the evening of Wednesday the 22d of October last.

Whether any fever, or other complaint, had preceded that attack?-There had been fever and other complaints; but on that morning his Majesty had no fever.

Whether, in cases where the attack has been sudden, the recovery has been sudden also?-My observations on this disorder do not enable me to answer that question.

The Rev. Dr. Francis Willis called in, and examined.

Whether, in his opinion, the state of his Majesty's health is or is not, such as to render his Majesty incapable, either of coming to Parliament, or of attending to public business?-He certainly is not capable.

What hopes has Dr. Willis of his Majesty's recovery?—I have great hopes of his Majesty's recovery. If it were any other person but his Majesty, I should scarce entertain a doubt: when his Majesty reflects upon an illness of this kind, it may depress his spirits, and retard his cure more than a common person.

Can Dr. Willis form any judgment, or probable conjecture, of the time which his Majesty's illness is likely to last?-I cannot.

What degree of experience has Dr. Willis had of the particular species of

What has been the longest space of time for which the disorder has lasted, in the case of such patients as have been brought to him within three months from the beginning of the attack, and have recovered?

Whether in his Majesty's disorder, Dr. Willis sees any present signs of convalescence?-1 cannot say that I do; at the same time there is every thing leading towards it, as the irritation has, in a great measure subsided, which must precede convalescence, or any appearance of it: it must come on very gradually.

- Whether Dr. Willis learns from experience, that the greater number of persons, who have been afflicted with this disorder, have recovered?-A very great majority: I do not think I should speak false, if I said nine out of ten, of those that have been put under my care, whithin three months after they had begun to be afflicted with the disorder.

Whether every cure in the same person, of a disorder which has returned, is included in the calculation of the whole number of cures ?-If a person has been twice brought under my care, and twice cured, I reckon two cures, as I should of a fever.

Has the greater number of men, that has been afflicted with this disorder recovered?-I never calculated that; I did not think there was any difference between the two sexes as to the facility of

cure.

What state of his patients does he conside as a cure?-Their being able to take upon themselves the conduct of their own affairs, and to do the same business they were used to do before they fell ill.

What is the shortest space of time within which, in his experience, he has known persons, affected as his Majesty is, restored to health?-Six weeks or two months is the shortest, I believe.

Does Dr. Willis see any thing in his Majesty's case which enables him to pronounce that his Majesty may not be restored to health within that compass of time from the commencement of his attendance on his Majesty?—I do not see any thing to enable me to pronounce that he may not.

What is the most ordinary space of time he has found necessary for the cure of such patients?—I should think five or six months, as near as I can calculate.

How long has Dr. Willis attended his Majesty?-Since Friday morning last.

Whether, from your own observation, or from the particulars which have been communicated to you, you can assign any known cause to which, in your judgment, his Majesty's disorder is referrible?-From my own experience with regard to his Majesty, I cannot say any thing; but from a very particular detail of his mode and manner of life for twenty-seven years, I do imagine, that weighty business, severe exercise, and too great abstemiousness, and little rest, has been too much for his constitution. It is very early to give an opinion, and I may be mistaken; but I am the more inclined to think myself right, because the medicine that has been given his Majesty ever since Sunday morning, and was intended to meet and counteract those causes, has had as much effect as I could wish; and his Majesty has certainly been gradually better from the first six hours of his taking it.

Whether you have reason to believe, that the circumstances you have enume rated are frequently causes of this disorder?-I believe they are very frequently.

Where the disorder has arisen from such causes, have you frequently known it cured?-Very frequently.

Have the greater number of those cases been cured or not?-Certainly. I believe they are more easily to be cured, than where the disorder proceeds from exces sive drinking, or other intemperance, or some other causes.

Dr. Thomas Gisborne called in, and
examined.