To Cure a King

George III’S medical mystery

What exactly did King George III suffer from? This is a question that has debated ever since his lifetime, with the most commonly cited reason being porphyria, a blood disorder. Known for causing aches and pains in the inflicted, as well as psychiatric problems, it often believed that the king suffered from the disorder on account of his blue urine, a symptom of porphyria. However, in recent years, other suggestions have been put forward for the king’s illness. Analysis of George’s letters indicates that he may have suffered from bipolar disorder because when he was ill, his language would become more colourful and his sentences would be long and repetitive, containing up to 400 words. It is even possible that some of the treatments used on George actually made his illness worse. To blister the skin, which was believed to rid the body of toxins, the king was regularly treated with arsenic-based powders. In 2005, analysis of George’s hair had a concentration of arsenic that was 300 times the level which is considered to be toxic. As arsenic is known to trigger porphyria, it is likely that the king’s doctors were actually making him worse, not better. Unfortunately, George was subject to a number of now discredited treatments in a vain attempt to treat his illness. This included vinegar and water footbaths, ingesting musk and bark, bloodletting, cupping, restraining him and taking purgatives, just to name a few. Although George recovered from a serious bout of illness from 1788 to 1789, he would eventually succumb to permanent insanity by 1810.