KING CANCELS ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDING ROYAL TOUR FOR HEALTH REASONS

Grey River Argus, 24 November 1948, Page 7

KING CANCELS ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDING ROYAL TOUR FOR HEALTH REASONS

(Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, November 23. Acting on medical advice, His Majesty the King has cancelled his tour of Australia and New Zealand, which was to -have been made early next year with the Queen and Princess Margaret. This was announced this afternoon by the Act-ing-Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. W. Nash.

•d.TI 1 ® following statement from Nash -n^^ am a^ace was i ssue d by Mr

As a result of advice, based on a thorough examination, which' has been tendered to the King by his medical advisers, and which has been endorsed by his Prime Ministers in the United Kingdom, Australia and •New Zealand, His Majesty has agreed to cancel all his public engagements over a period of some months. ‘This decision involves the indefinite postponement of the visit to Australia arid New Zealand which the King and Queen, with Princess Margaret, had undertaken to make during the first half of next year. “Their Majesties wish,” said Mr Nash, “to express to the peoples of New Zealand the profound regret and bitter disappointment which they feel at the abandonment of their tour, which they know will be shared by all those who were preparing to welcome them.”

The medical bulletin, said Mr Nash, gave no reason for concern for His Majesty’s general health. The King was suffering from an obstruction to the circulation through the arteries of the legs which had only recently become acute. . Complete rest had been advised.

The Official Announcement

(Rec. 8.50) LONDON, Nov. 23 The text of the Palace announcement, issued early this morning at 3 o’clock was as follows: “As the result of advice, based on a very thorough examination, which has been tendered to the King, by his medical advisors and which has been endorsed by the Prime Ministers in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia, His Majesty has agreed to cancel all public engagements over a period of some months. This decision involves the indefinite postponement of the visit to New Zealand and Australia which the King and Queen had undertaken to pay with Princess Margaret during the first half of next year. Their Majesties wish to express to the New Zealand and the Australian people the profound regret and bitter disappointment which they themselves feel at the abandonment of the tour and which they know, will be shared by all those who were preparing to welcome them. RISK OF JOURNEY

The full text of the medical bul-< letin is as follows—“ The King is suffering from an obstruction to the circulation through the arteries of the legs, which has only recently become acute. Defective blood to the right foot causes anxiety. Complete rest has been advised and the Stanley treatment to improve the circulation has been initiated and must be maintained for an immediate and prolonged period. '•‘‘Though His Majesty’s general health, including the condition of his heart, gives no reason for concern, there is no doubt that the strain of the past 12 years has appreciably affected his resistance to physical fatigue. We have come to the conclusion that it would be hazardous for His Majesty to embark upon a long journey which might delay his recovery and which might well involve serious risk to a limb. “With deep regret, therefore, we have advised that the King’s visit to Australia and New Zealand should not be undertaken next year.” The bulletin is signed by Sir Maurice Cassidy physician-in-ordinary to the King, Brigadier Sir Thomas Peel Dunhill, sergeant-surgeon to the King, Mr James Rognvald Learmouth, surgeon in His Majesty’s medical household in Scotland, Commander Sir Morton Smart, manipulative surgeon to the King, and Sir John Weir, physician-in-ordinary to the King.

DECISION KEPT A STATE SECRET

(Rec. 9.50') LONDON, Nov. 23 The Queen has been much upset by the doctors’ report, and the consequent postponement of the tour, to which she has been looking forward with so much enthusiasm. The postponement of the tour has been kept a closely-guarded State secret, and up to two hours before the announcement, only a small handful of very high officials of the Royal household knew of it. On public occasions recently there had been no sign that the King was suffering from any complaint, and on November 11, during a visit to the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering, in Bedfordshire, he crossed ploughed fields to inspect machinery and tractors. But earlier, after he had been with the Queen to the British Legion remembrance festival, he complained that his right foot was troubling him. This did.not prevent -him from standing in the rain at the Remembrance Day service at the cenotaph on the following day.

London Press Comment

(Rec. 10.50). LONDON, Nov. 23. The London morning newspapers, despite the lateness of the announcement at 1.30 a.m. of the abandonment of the Royal tour, carried the news in banner headlines, and, in some cases, with editorial comment. The Times said: “The physical strain imposed bv the professional routine of modern kingship is seldom fully appreciated. In the days when the survival of his people was at stake, the King had to bear, in his capacity as supreme representative, the concentrated anxiety of the whole nation. Peace has brought little relaxation of the strain, but through these dark dangerous years the King has stood undaunted at the head of his people, snreading courage and confidence by his unselfish devotion to duty”. The Times, in its leading article, C nid- "Millions have drawn strength bv the example of the King, and will desire, by their prayers and good wishes, for his complete recovery to reoay some of the debt . The Daily Telegraph said: “New Maland and Australian people will alone in their grief that the Royal tour must, for the present, be Abandoned, for the cause of its postabSornnnt is even more distressing postponement itself, There Sn b "no doubt that the King’s indUnosition is the penalty of unremitHn? Motion to duty and unyielding 1 Jmirnnce of anxious responsibilities Roi-tunately, that danger signal has in time. His Majesty is still vnnne and it may be hoped that, i length is recruited by a period S S renofe • it will be completely restored”.

Defective Blood Supply to Foot

I NATURE OF KING'S AILMENT (Rec. 6.30) CANBERRA, Nov. 23 The King is suffering irom an obstruction in the circulation through the arteries of his right leg, entailing a defective blood supply to the loot. LONDON, Nov. 22. A Buckingham Palace bulletin says; “A defective blood supply to the right loot causes anxiety. ' All the King’s public engagements have been cancelled for some months. The King will continue to carry out normal State duties at the Palace, including audiences. A BLOOD CLOT (Rec. 11.50). LONDON, Nov. 23. Reuter reports that what the doctors call an obstruction of the v culation in the King’s case is generally known as a blood clot. AILMENT OF SOME DURATION , (Rec. 10.30) LONDON, Nov. 23 \ Reuter’s correspondent at the Court says: "There is reason to believe that the obstruction oi the circulation to which the King’s doctors ■ refer must have been of some duration though it has only recently caused much pain.” His doctors say that the King’s general health, including the condition of his heart gives no reason for concern, but there is no doubt that the strain of the past twelve years has appreciably affected his resistance to physical fatigue. It would be hazardous to embark upon a long journey which .might delay recovery and involve serious risk to the limb. BULLETHM-ISSUED (Rec. 9.0) LONDON, Nov. 23 The following bulletin has been issued: “The King is .suffering from an obstruction to the circulation through the arteries of his legs, which has only recently become acute. The defective blood supply to the right root causes anxiety.”

NO CAUSE FOR IMMEDIATE ANXIETY

(Rec. 9.45) LONDON, Nov. 23 Reuter’s correspondent at Court says: The bulletin does not mean that there is any cause for immediate anxiety. Five doctors have been in attendance on the King for the past week. The King has complained of a loss of feeling in the right leg for about two weeks. The doctors carried out a thorough examination. Then they advised the cancellation of the tour, with advice which Rt. Hon. P. Fraser and Rt. Hon. J. B. Chifley have concurred. Electrical treatment and massage are among the therapies which have been applied. It is emphasised that there is no question of any substitute going to New Zealand and to Australia. When the King and Queen may be able to undertake the tour as planned is a question for future consideration. REST AND TREATMENT Complete rest has been advised for the King, and treatment to improve the circulation in his legs has been initiated, and this must be maintained for an immediate and a prolonged period. Though His Majesty’s general health, including the condition of his heart, gives no reason for concern, there is no doubt that the strain of the past twelve years has appreciably affected his resistance to physical fatigue. The King’s medical advisers state: “We have come to the conclusion that it would be hazardous for His Majesty to embark upon a long journey, which might delay his recovery and which might well involve serious risk to a limb. With very deep regret, therefore, we have advised that the King’s visit to New Zealand and Australia should not be undertaken next year.” TREATMENT IN RECENT YEARS Reuter's Court correspondent says: “It is unlikely that there will be any series of bulletins about His Majesty's condition, because it cannot be expected that there will be daily changes to report. For several years past, the King has had occasional massage treatment. . Last August, the King pursued his usual vigorous activities —shooting on the moors and deek stalking on the mountains around Balmoral. He seemed tireless, and when he returned to London, first for the opening of the autumn session of Parliament on September 14, and again, after concluding his Scottish visit, on October 8, he seemed to be much invigorated. TOUR TO FOLLOW RECOVERY Reuter’s correspondent at Court says that it is the King’s hope that, when he has fully recovered he may be able to carry outi his tour. American press reports , The announcement of tne, Kmg s illness and the cancellation of his tour reached the United States in time for publication in early editions of morning papers. . Radio broadcast the news alm ost immea ately after the bulletin reached the United States. The New York Times published the news with the King’s The “Herald Tribune” gave equal prominence to the news. Nearly al the American newspapers printed the full text of the palace announcement. The Chicago and U.S.A. Tribune on its front page made the ment under an eight column stream-

IS KING TO HAVE NEW TREATMENT ?

P.A. DUNEDIN, Trov. 24 The name of the treatment to b given to the King is that of _ ‘ Stanley Treatment. . It is new to the medical profession _m Duneam. Various members of the staff ot tm Otago Medical School and doctors i the city were approached, but n pne of them had heard of the treatment Several methods of treatment arused in such cases in Dunedin, pui none has the name resembling that of Stanley. n ~ "We would have heard of it, saia one doctor. “I feel that, most lik p iy, the explanation is that the word is a misprint in the cablegram.” The exact nature of the King’s illness could not be determined from the details given, several doctors stated, but the condition of an artery could oe improved only by long treatment, including plenty of rest. The opinion was generally held that the King would be most unwise not to take the advice of his doctors, and to avoid public engagements wherever possible.