It is arguable whether being a king in the old days was preferable to being a commoner, most of the time; but when it came to dying there is no doubt that the king had the worst of it. Consider what Charles II was subjected to, as he lay dying in 1685. ‘A pint of blood was extracted from his right arm; then eight ounces from his left shoulder; next an emetic, two physics, and an enema consisting of fifteen substances. Then his head was shaved and a blister raised on his scalp. To purge the brain a sneezing powder was given, then cowslip powder to strengthen it. Meanwhile more emetics, soothing drinks, and more bleeding; also a plaster of pitch and pigeon dung applied to the royal feet. Not to leave anything undone the following substances were taken internally: melon seeds, manna, slippery elm, black cherry water, extract of lily of the valley, peony, lavender, pearls dissolved in vinegar, gentian root, nutmeg and finally 40 drops of extract of human skull. As a last resort bezoar stone was employed. But the Royal Patient died.’
Died of what?
In Are Science and Technology Neutral (Butterworths, London 1979) Appendix 2, p. 54.
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