[William IV and his asthma.] Autograph Manuscript Signed by 'W. J. Griffinhoofe', royal apothecary, titled 'An Outline of the general treatment of His Royal Highness The Duke of Clarence during his periodical annual attack of Asthma'.

William IV ceased to be styled the Duke of Clarence on his accession to the throne in 1830. For 'the family of Griffinhoofe, Saffron Walden', see Charles K. Probert's piece in Notes and Queries, 14 November 1874, which states that 'The first of the family who came to this country was a Mr. Griffinhoofe, who, as Court Apothecary, accompanied George I. from Hanover.' The family clearly continued their connection with royalty, as the author of this document W. J. Griffinhoofe is listed in 1804 as 'Apothecary' in 'The Establishment of the King's Stables', and he states in this document that he has attended the Duke during his attacks. 3pp, 4to. On bifolium. Aged and worn. Headed: 'An Outline of the general treatment of His Royal Highness The Duke of Clarence during his periodical annual attack of Asthma'. Signed at end 'W J Griffinhoofe'. Begins: 'Medicine as pr. praescriptions, of course guided by the present existing symptoms by Doctor Halliday, [the Duke's personal physician Sir Andrew Halliday (1782-1839)] Opiates I have ever found rather to distress than assist, His Royal Highness in these attacks | His Royal Highness upon these occasions is immediately put upon a liquid diet, Chicken broth, Calfsfoot jelly, new milk whey, barley water hot with some powdered loaf sugar, occasionly [sic] green tea with much milk, and strong coffee, the stricture of the breath being usually very severe, The Duke is not able to make the reclining position but has recourse to sitting in an easy arm chair in his flannel dressing Gown with two blankets plac'd on the chair, the lower one wrapt'd [sic] round the legs, […]'. Endorsed on reverse of second leaf: 'The Medicines usually taken during the Attack of Asthma'. The description of the attacks continues, with Griffinhoofe noting that 'The Duke is sometimes oblig'd to remain in this state for several days'. He states that 'His Royal Highness's condescention is well known to everyone who has the supreme honor of any communication with him, but in the whole length of my attendance upon the Duke of Clarence his patient expressions of satisfaction is far beyond my power of expression'. He ends by noting that 'the first food of any substance taken by The Duke is toasted bread in either chicken broth or weak green tea with much new milk'. From the distinguished autograph collection of the psychiatrist Richard Alfred Hunter (1923-1981), whose collection of 7000 works relating to psychiatry is now in Cambridge University Library. Hunter and his mother Ida Macalpine had a particular interest in the illness of King George III, and their book 'George III and the Mad Business' (1969) suggested the diagnosis of porphyria popularised by Alan Bennett in his play 'The Madness of George III'.