Nelson's Rheumatic Fever

Tony · **Posted:** Sun Apr 03, 2011 11:24 am

Nelson's health, again!

Marianne Czisnik, in 'Horatio Nelson: A Controversial Hero', says that when Nelson went back to see in 1801, he repeatedly complained to Emma in letters 'about his various afflictions, from sea-sickness to spasms and rheumatic fever'. Can anyone point me to a letter in which he complains of rheumatic fever, or symptoms that Czisnik may have interpreted as rheumatic fever?

tycho · **Posted:** Sun Apr 03, 2011 1:42 pm

This is a puzzle.

Edgar Vincent writes, quoting Nelson, that he was suffering from 'a kind of rheumatick fever in my head''. He gives a reference 'Nelson to Emma, 19th March 1804, Morrison Vol ii p 227.' However, I can't find the letter in my Morrison, nor does it appear to be in Nicolas. (I have, though, mislaid my reading glasses yet again, so maybe someone sharper eyed than I can find it.)

This is one of Nelson's self-diagnoses so maybe it wasn't rheumatic fever at all.

Mark Barrett · **Joined:** Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:40 pm **Posts:** 1088

Tony

There may be others but you will find one example in Nicolas, Volume 6, p 41.

Copy here - see line 13 etc.

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tycho · **Posted:** Sun Apr 03, 2011 2:33 pm

Mark: I suspect that's the letter Edgar Vincent is referring to; this isn't the first time I've come across an error in his referencing. Also, the words 'they tell me', which Vincent didn't quote, suggest that this was not a self-diagnosis at all.

Tony · **Posted:** Sun Apr 03, 2011 3:41 pm

Many thanks indeed for that reference, Anna & Mark. That sounds a very strange description of rheumatic fever, even if it wasn't self-diagnosed!

Czisnik was, however, specifically referring to 1801, and I think she meant from the Baltic after Copenhagen, although she isn't that specific. Any ideas on a reference from that time?

Mira · **Posted:** Sun Apr 03, 2011 5:27 pm

There's a reference to rheumatism in this Nelson letter of 1801. Although I'm assuming rheumatism and rheumatic fever are not the same thing, was there a clear distinction between the two in 1801?

Quote:

10 o'clock, March 6th, 1801, at night.

My dearest Friend,

I have received, I dare say, all your kind letters and newspapers. No one else sends me any thing. I am sorry you are not well, nor can my mind be at rest, although I am obliged to keep up an appearance of alacrity. Nothing shall make me go on shore to any amusement or dinner. In the morning, if very fine, I shall go to make my bow to the Commander-in-chief, but have asked some sailor folks to dinner. Our expedition must be very short. I don't think at most more than six weeks, probably not half so long. And if necessity should call me to England, I will come directly.
I hope Mrs. Nelson will soon be with you; write to her, she will come. I have just received a letter from my brother to say he will be at Yarmouth on Monday, then I will make a point of it. Lord St. Vincent, I see, has carried his false suit against his own Secretary, and I suppose I shall be cast, but try it I will. How infamous against poor Nelson! every body, except you, tears him to pieces, nor has he but only you, as a disinterested friend, that he can unbosom to.

Just going to bed with much rheumatism,

Ever yours,

"NELSON AND BRONTE

Pettigrew Vol 1, p437

Tony · **Posted:** Sun Apr 03, 2011 6:18 pm

Mira wrote:

There's a reference to rheumatism in this Nelson letter of 1801. Although I'm assuming rheumatism and rheumatic fever are not the same thing, was there a clear distinction between the two in 1801?

You have posed exactly the question I was coming to, Jacqui! Thanks very much for the reference. I was wondering whether Nelson might have referred to rheumatism or rheumatic fever. Now it seems he referred to both at different times.

Gillespie (Nelson's physician of the fleet 1803? -1805) considered rheumatism and consumption (tuberculosis) to be the two most serious illnesses in the fleet, responsible for the greatest number of invalids and mortalities. But was there a distinction between rheumatism and rheumatic fever? Often you just read about 'rheumatics'.

My medical knowledge is non-existent, but as I understand it, rheumatic fever can come on quite suddenly, and result in the sort of aches that can literally prevent you getting out of bed, and over time can be very serious, resulting in damage to the heart.

I would be most grateful if anyone can comment on the understanding of rheumatism and rheumatic fever at that time, and on their impact on health in the navy.

tycho · **Posted:** Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:12 pm

It is often difficult to work out what diseases people had in the 18th century as many diseases had similar symptoms. Diarrhoea, for example, can have many causes but it was often diagnosed as 'flux'. Rheumatism was often diagnosed as gout. One of the symptoms of scurvy can be musculo-skeletal pain. However there is no doubt that what was called rheumatism was a frequent cause of illness among seamen, according to this hospital admissions book.

http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/ser ... pital.html

Dr A-M Hills, who examined Nelson's illnesses in detail, dismisses 'rheumatic fever' as a cause of Nelson's illness mentioned in his letter above as none of his symptoms is consistent with that disease. She suggests that the heart problem he speaks of could have been been caused by a benign medical condition, the violent pain in his side was probably the after effects of the blow to his stomach and the fever 'could have been indicative of pyrexia (high temperature) of a non-specific cause.' He certainly seemed to have been prone to colds and fevers all his life, and to gout and 'agues' too. Rheumatism + fever isn't the same as rheumatic fever but perhaps that seemed an accurate description of his symptoms.

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Nelson's Rheumatic Fever

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