THE KING'S HEALTH.

Motueka Star, Volume I, Issue 37, 17 December 1901, Page 5

THE KING'S HEALTH.

Private letters- received from England speak in despondent terms regarding the condition of King Edward's health, and grave fears are expressed for the near future. These reports may, however, have no other foundation than the statements of the newspapers, which have since been authoritatively contradicted. Early in November a London paper, under the alarmist head-line, "Will the King be Crowned ?" published the following from a special contributor;—"For months past American journals have published statements about the health of KinoEdward which English journalists ahave regarded with amusement, if not m-CDrn. I have just learned on the •Pfighest possible authority that, unfortunately, there is only too much truth in the statements published in the "United States. King Edward "VII. is suffering from cancer of the larynx. For many years his Majesty was under the care of Dr E. H. Sieveking, one of the best laryngolists in the world. On the King's accession Sir Felix Semon, the noted throat specialist, was appointed to attend to his Majesty's complaint. Since then, no fewer than three operations have been performed. The King has been advised riot to smoke, or to speak more than is absolutely necessary, and the real purport of his recent visit to Fredensborg was that he might quietly consult some of tie no'ed French, German, and Austrian physicians. The King's doctors affirm that the growth in the throat is not malignant, but the Royal household - know only too well that his Majesty's voice gets huskier-week bv week, although it is more than anyone s office is worth to make these facts public. The grow th from which the King originally suffered is professionally known as a papilloma on the left vocal cord. This has been removed three times. One night last week Sir Felix Semon was hastily .summoned to the King's side and found that his Majesty .vas breathing j with difficulty. An immediate opera- ■ tion was performed, hut it is only regarded as a temporary relief, for the injured epithelium has now become a cancerous growth, and alarming developments are expected. ' A correspondent in a ng issue pointtd out that Dr Sieveking wis not a latyngolist, but a nerve specialist, and added : —"lt was the late Dr George Moore, of Hertford Street, Mayfair, who for many years attended the King for throat trouble, which was aggravated by cigarette smoking." While there thus appears to be reasonable ground for anxiety, it may be hoped that, with the best skill available at his command, and with a sound constitution, his Majesty will be restored to health, and there will be nothing to mar the splendour of the approaching Coronation ceremony,