ROYAL POXES & POTIONS

A look at the evoluton of the royal doctor from the time of George I in the early 18th century, to the present.

The main focus is on the Georgian period, until the end of George V's reign in 1936.

Following introductory material on the rise of the royal physician, the book tells the stories of the individual monarchs' relationships with their physicians, emphasizing people and events rather than the history of the medicine.Among those to be covered will be George III and his uneasy relationship with his doctors through his period of madness.

Queen Victoria was a hypochondriac, constantly fussing over her diet, weight and ailments whether real or imagined.

The medicine chest that she carried around with her had a fearsome range of drugs and homeopathic concoctions.

During her reign the status of her appointed physicians and surgeons developed as never before.

Their succeeding ranks included the most distinguished medical practitioners of the age, from pioneers of surgery like Sir Frederick Treves to distinguished and radical physicians like Sir William Jenner.

The roles of these men outside the royal circle is also highlighted.