Page "Sir William Gull, 1st Baronet" Paragraph 23

The Prince of Wales showed the first signs of illness on 13 November 1871, while at the Royal residence at Sandringham, Norfolk.

Initially, he was attended by Dr. Lowe of Kings Lynn and by Dr Oscar Clayton, who thought the fever was caused by a sore on a finger.

After a week, with no sign of the fever abating, they diagnosed typhoid fever and sent for Gull on 21 November, and Sir William Jenner on the 23rd.

It transpired that the typhoid attack was complicated by bronchitis and the Prince was in danger of his life for many days.

For the next month, daily bulletins were issued by Sandringham and posted at police stations around the country.

Sir William Hale-White, author of " Great Doctors of the Nineteenth Century ", writes: " I was a lad then and my father sent me every evening to the police station to get the latest news.

It was not until just before Christmas that bulletins were issued only once a day.