Queen Victoria’s journal:
“Heard once towards morning, that the night, so far, had been good, & that dear Albert was asleep, so that I only went over at 8, but he had not awoke yet, & I returned after a little while. There was a slight appearance of short breathing, but D’ Jenner said nothing of any consequence, unless it should increase. Dear Albert was able to sit up to take his broth, but his hands shook very much. He sent for & saw Alice. — Took a short hour’s drive with her & Marie just before luncheon. Returned to Albert afterwards. He was rather excited & confused, but D’ Jenner said it was all due to the fever & generally occurred in such cases. We rejoiced to think tomorrow would be the 22d day, & that in another week please God! he would be getting over the period of convalescence, though I hardly dare do so except with fear & trembling! Dear Albert had been moved into a small new bed, which they thought would be better for him. — Saw D’ Jenner & Sir J. Clark, who had returned & thought all was going well. The quickness of breathing gave no cause for any present alarm. Albert had held his ground. — Went after dinner with Alice; to my darling & found him taking his broth again. She helped in holding it, but left again in a short while. The Doctors wished him to lie on his side as much as possible. Went back, when undressed to wish him good night. D’ Jenner said they were giving him a little ammonia to check the rapid respiration, & that if in another 24, or still more 48 hours, there were no further increase in this symptom, we could feel quite safe. He hoped for a quiet night. —“
©️ Royal Collection Trust / HM King Charles III
Letter from Queen Victoria to Leopold I, King of Belgium:
“My beloved Uncle,—I can again report favourably of our most precious invalid. He maintains his ground well—had another very good night—takes plenty of nourishment, and shows surprising strength. I am constantly in and out of his room, but since the first four dreadful nights, last week, before they had declared it to be gastric fever—I do not sit up with him at night as I could be of no use; and there is nothing to cause alarm. I go out twice a day for about an hour. It is a very trying time, for a fever with its despondency, weakness, and occasional and invariable wandering, is most painful to witness—but we never had one unfavourable symptom; to-morrow, reckoning from the 22nd, when dear Albert first fell ill—after going in a wet day to look at some buildings—having likewise been unusually depressed with worries of different kinds—is the end of the third week; we may hope for improvement after that, but the doctors say they should not be at all disappointed if this did not take place till the end of the fourth week. I cannot sufficiently praise the skill, attention, and devotion of Dr Jenner, who is the first fever doctor in Europe, one must say—and good old Clark is here every day; good Brown is also most useful…. We have got Dr Watson (who succeeded Dr Chambers) and Sir H. Holland has also been here. But I have kept clear of these two. Albert sleeps a good deal in the day. He is moved every day into the next room on a sofa which is made up as a bed. He has only kept his bed entirely since Monday. Many, many thanks for your dear, kind letter on the 11th. I knew how you would feel for and think of me. I am very wonderfully supported, and, excepting on three occasions, have borne up very well. I am sure Clark will tell you so. Ever your most devoted Niece, Victoria R”
http://www.queenvictoriasjournals.org/
© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2012 © Bodleian Libraries © ProQuest
