Silt JAMES CLARK'S STATEMENT OF THE CASE OF THE LATE
LADS' FLORA HASTINGS.
So long as the accusations brought against me, in reference to the case of the late Lady Flora Hastings, continued to be either anonymous or unauthorized, I felt it right to submit in silehce to every specks of provocation, rather than bring before the public circumstances of a very delicate nature, which came within my knowledge in the implied confidence of professional intercourse. The publication, however, of the Marquis of Hastings, the nearest relative of Lady .Flora Hastings, made me doubt seriously whether, in regard to myself as well as the profession, I was justified in not laying before the public an account the case so far I was concerned. The renewed attacks which have followed that publication permit me no longer to hesitate ; although, even now, it is with the utmost reluctance I bring myself to enter into details which, I am of opinion ought never to have been made the subject of public discussion. "On the 10th of January last I was consulted by Lady Flora Hastings, who had that day arrived from Scotland, and had come into waiting on her Royal Highness the Dutchess of Kent. She had derangement of the bowels, and of the general health, and she complained of pain low in the left side. There was also considerable enlargement of the lower part of the abdomen. Under the use of some very simple, remedies the derangement of the bowels and the pain in the side grad ua ily abated, and ultimately ceased ; and Lady Elora compiained (ally of weakness. The size of the abdomen, however, continuedundiminished; and Lady Flora's appearance became the subject of remark in the Palace. About the 1st of February, as nearly as I ant able to fix the date, Iswas sent for by Lord Mel. bourne ; and on going to him, his Lordship informed me that a communication had been made to him by Lady Tavistock, respecting Lady Flora 'destines whose appearance had given rise to a suspicion in the Palace that she migV be privately married : his Lordship askcd my opinion on the subject. I stated in reply, that, while I thought such suspicions ought not to be readily listened to, I was, at the same time, bound to admit to him that the appearance of Lady Flora in some degree countenanced them. I added that, without nime ample means of observation, I could not venture to give an opinion on the sub. ject ; and his Lordship agreed with me that no step should then be taken in the matter.
From this time the condition of Lady Flora Hastings caused me considerable anxiety. The only source, besides pregnancy, from which the size and peculiar form of the abdomen could proceed, was disease ; but the probability of disease being the sole cause in Lady Flora's case was diminished by the circumstance that the enlargement was accompanied by very little general derangement of health, In filet, Lady Flora continued to perform her usual duties with apparently little inconvenience to herself. I continued to visit Lady Flora about twice a week, front the 10th of January to the 16th of February, and on several °cos. sions examined the state of the abdomen over her dress ; but being unable in this way to satisfy myself as to the nature of the enlargement, I at length en. pressed to her my uneasiness respecting her size, and requested, that at my next visit, I might be permitted to lay my hand upon her abdomen with her stays removed, To this Lady Flora declined to accede. Matters remained in this state until the 16th of February. On that day I found it had been determined that I should acquaint Lady Flora with the suspicions which existed in the Palace, and should suggest her calllobring, rt I nkbe notedr physician into consultation with me. Before visiting Lady F Lady' Portman, the Lady in Waiting, if I might use her name to Lady Flora, as one of the ladies who entertained the suspicion respecting her. To this Lady Portman at once assented. Her Ladyship then de i scribed the peculiari- ties n Lady Flora's form aud carriage, which had produced the impression in regard to her state. To the question as to what my opinion on the subject was, I replied that the appearances were certainly suspicious but that even to medical men such appearances were often deceptive. Lady Portman con. eluded by observing, that for the sake of Lady Flora Hastings herself, as well as of the Court, it was necessary that the matter should be cleared up. Imme- diately after this interview with Lady Portman I went to Lady Flora for the purpose of making to her this very unpleasant communication ; and I need hardly add that I made it in the most delicate terms which I could employ. After a few remarks on the state of her health, I told her that her size' 61 attracted the attention of the ladies, and that it was now any painful duty to acquaint her Ladyship that they had, in consequence, been led to suspect that she must be privately married. This was the anode, and these were the-words in which the painful communication was made. I urged Lady Flora, for obvious reasons, if there were grounds for this sus. picion,.to acknowledge the diet, and if not, to see another physician at owe, to put an end to the rumour. Lady Flora denied that there were any grounds whatever for the suspicion and named Sir Charles Clarke, who, she said, had known her from her childhood, as the physician she would wish to be called hi; but she declined, notwithstanding any earnest entreaties, to see him on that day. This refusal, after the reasons which I had given, lessened very considerably the effect upon my mind of her Ladyship's denial. After the interview with Lady Fady Flora, it remained for me to commu- nicate what had passed to her Royal Highness the Dutchess of Kent. I therefore informed Lady Flora that I was going to her Royal Highness for that purpose : to the propriety of this Lady Flora immediately assented. I accordingly went to the Dutchess of Kent, and stated the nature of the inter- view I kid had with Lady Flora. Her Royal Highness immediately ex- pressed her entire disbelief of any thing injurious to Lady Flora's character, and she asked nie my opinion. However reluctant I felt to express any doubts on the subject after Lady Flora's declaration, I could not decline giving a con- scientious reply to her Royal Highness's question; and I answered to the effect that the suspicions I previously entertained were not removed. In the course of the evening of the day on which I made the communication to Lady Flora Hastings, _I received a note from her Ladyship, of which the following is A copy- " Sir—Although I think you perfectly understood me this mor'icilingt,171111. did not wish you to take any steps without hearing from me, it is perhaps better to obviate the possibility of any mistake that I should distinctly say so. I shall be. governed entirely by her Royal Highness's wishes and orders. " Your's sincerely, FLORA ELM HASTINGS." I beard nothing more on the subject till the afternoon of the following day, (Sunday, February 17th,) when I received another note from Lady Flora; of which the following is a copy- " Sir—By her Royal Highness's command, I have written to ask Sir Charles Clarke to name an hour this afternoon to come to me. He has answered my note by coming, and is now here. Could you come and meet him ? " Yours sincerely, F. E. linsTtsos." On receiving this note, I immediately went to Lady Flora, and found Sir Charles with liar Ladyship. He stated to me, in Lady Flora's presence, as Pact of the conversation he had had with her, that he urged her, if there were any grounds for the suspicions entertained, to admit the Tact now, as after the examination it would be too late.
After this conversation, Lady Flora requested that Lady Portman might be be called in. On her arrival, Lady Flora retired to her chamber, where her maid seas in attendance. After Sir Charles Clarke had made an exami- nation, he returned with me to the sitting-room, and stated, as the result, that there could be no pregnancy ; but at the saint, he expressed a wish that I also should make an examination. This I at first declined, stating it to be untie' cessary ; but, on his earnestly urging me to do so, I felt that a further refusal might he construed into a desire to shrink from a share of the responsi- bility, and I accordingly yielded. After finally consulting, we gave the fol- lowing certificate. (COPY OF CERTIFICATE.) •• Buckingham Palace. 17th February. Ha " We have examined with great care the state of Lady Flora Hastings, with a view to determine the existence or non-existence of pregnancy, and it is our opinion, although there is an enlargement of the stomach, that there arc no grounds for suspicion that pregnancy does exist, or ever did exist. (Signed) " CHARLES M. CLAREE, M.D. JAMES CLARK, M.D." Before parting with Lady Flora, both Sir Charles Clarke and myself pressed capon her Ladyship the expediency of her appearing on that day at table as usual. Such is a plain statement of the leading facts of this unfortunate case, so far as I am concerned. That I was unable to ascertain the true nature of Lady Flora's state, I at once admit, and most deeply regret ; but when the difficul- ties which frequently occur in cases of this description, even where every fa- cility is afforded for investigation, are considered, it can scarcely be mail! .t matter of reproach to me that, amidst the disadvantages under which 1 laboured, I was unable to affirm that Lady Flora's change of app earned so
the result of disease, and of disease alone. If even Sir Charles Clarke did not venture to express a positive opinion until after a careful examination, it will be readily conceded that no other person could have done so without recurring to 601TIC similar proceeding. And if any thing further were required to establish the difficulties of this very peculiar ease, and the heavy responsibility attach- ing to a decision on it, Sir Charles Clarke knows that there are other facts connected with it, which prove in the most unequivocal manlier both the one and the other ; facts which do not throw the slightest shade of doubt on the purity of Lady Flom, nor are matter of blame to any one, but which it is not necessary to bring before the public. Vie post mortein examination established the fact, that the death of Lady Flora Hastings %vas occasioned by extensive disease, dating its origin " at some former and distant period of time ;" mid yet such was the obscurity of the symptoms which, during life, accompanied the disease, that its nature became evident a few weeks only before Lady Flora's death ; and the fact of its hay- iug involved every organ within the abdomen, was revealed only by the post tnortem examination. I think it right to notice, in this place, a part of my conduct which may at first sight appear censurable. I allude to the admission of my suspicion that
Lady Flora might be pregnant, before I had been permitted more tally to ex- amine into her state. Under almost any other circumstances, it would have been highly improper for me to have answered an inquiry on such a subject ; but as I could not authoritatively remove suspicions founded upon appear- ances, which, taken alone, would in a great majority of cases indicate what MS feared, and not the singular state of disease revealed after the death of Lady Flora, 1 felt it my duty, considering the very peculiar responsibility which attached to me, to confide the doubt which was in my own mind to those who had a right to demand my real opinion, and who, I felt assured, could not use it in a manner unfriendly to Lady Flora. I shall now notice such parts of the publication of the Marquis of Hastings as more particularly relate to me. An extract is given by his Lordship from a letter written by Lady Flora Hastings to the Dowager Marchioness of Hast- ings, dated March 13th, nearly a month after the event, in which it is stated that, at my visit to communicate to Lady Flora the suspicions entertained re- epecting her, I became " violent and coarse, and even attempted to browbeat" her Ladyship ! I hope I may refer to my character alone as a sufficient reply to this accusation ; moreover, on the occasion referred to, there could be no motive for such conduct. Any earnestness that I may have shown in my manner, could have for its object only that Lady Flora, for her own sake, should see Sir Charles Clarke on that day. In corroboration of my own solemn disavowal of the conduct imputed to me, I refer to the two notes already given in my narrative, which I received from Lady Flora Hastings within twenty-four hours sifter the very occasion on which I am said to have thus acted; and, consequently, at the very time when all her feelings may fairly be supposed to have been more excited by the alleged conduct than at any subsequent period ; and, as still more direct evidence, 1 would further refer to Lady Flora's letter to her uncle, Mr. Hamilton Fitzgerald. dated March 6th, in which, although written for the eapress purpose of making her griefs known to a relative, with whom she had no motive for reserve, and therefore, in the very circumstances, calculated to elicit complaint, not a word escapes her blaming my conduct or language, during either of my interviews with her. On the contrary, expressions occur which She surely could not have used had she really then felt that I had acted towards her in an unfriendly manner.
That Lady Flora intended to misrepresent what actually occurred, I do not for a moment believe. Under the circumstances of excitement in which she was placed, it need not create surprise that she should unconsciously have allowed impressions, arising out of discussions which afterwards took place, to grow upon her mind, till she at length confZmntled them with facts, or that she Should have greatly exaggerated what did actually take place. It is only in this way that I can account for some of the statements made by Lady Flora Hastings.
Her Ladyship's written account of the circumstances which took place dur- ing the interview on the 10th of February, at which we alone were present, differs widely from my recollection of them. I think it necessary to notice two points in particular. The first is, the alleged diminution of Lady Flora's size. On this I shall only observe, that I could discover no such diminution, else I should have been too happy to have availed myself of the circumstance to clear Lady Flora's character, and to have relieved myself from a very em- barrassing position. The second is, that I told Lady Flora that she must sub- mit to a ',medical examination." I not only never used such an expression, but never heard it employed for what it has been assumed to imply, till after the unfortunate matter was over ; in fact, I then believed that a inn external examination would prove sufficient to decide the matter. Every thing, conse- quently, which has been asserted, about a " medical examination" having been suggested by the ladies, or by me, is utterly groundless. The only other parts of Lord Hastings's correspondence which require notice from me are two charges brought forward by his Lordship. The first consists of a statement said to have been received from Lady Flora's own lips, that the examination " was conducted with more than ordinary disregard to delicacy, and to her feelings." In corroboration of this charge, his Lordship has re- ferred to a deposition on oath, by Lady Flora's Inaba "That the conduct of Sir James Clark and Lady Portman was unnecessarily abrupt, indelicate, and unfeeling !" I notice this charge, in passing, merely to give it a peremptory denial. The other charge is in the following words: " Some questions having been put to my sister, and answered, it was suggested that the inquiry ought not to proceed further, and that they might now feel quite satisfied. Sir James Clark objected, and stated that the lathes of the court would not be satisfied Without the strictest examination; and that it' Lady Flora knew her own in- nocence, she could have no reason to oppo:e the most complete scrutiny." The simple reply to this is, that no such suggestion was erer made, and no such ob- jection ever urged. Upon what authority Lord Hastings makes this statement, he has nowhere mentioned, and I ant utterly at a loss to conceive, unless in- deed it be on that of the foreign maid to whose oath he before refers, and whose knowledge of English may not have been sufficient to enable her fully to understand what was passing. But I cannot avoid expressing my regret that his Lordship did not procure the testimony of the only witness present during the whole consultation—Sir Charles Clarke—bethre he made such grave charges. Had he followed this course, I venture to affirm they never would have been made. Sir Charles Clarke, although he might not have thought it Proper to discuss with Lord Ilastitors the details of what passed at the con- sultation, could not have hesitated,' haul he been appealed to, to refute such groundless accusations.
It remains for me now only to repeat my sincere regret that I was unable to relieve Lady Flora Hastings at once from every suspicion. No one has felt more acutely than myself, during the whole of this painftil affair, the distress occasioned to Lady Flora rind her family, whether arising from the original circumstances or from the matter being afterwards foreed into public notice. Deeply paiafid as it has been to me to sec my name so long associated With alleged acts and motives at which my very nature revolts, the conscious-
ness of may own rectitude, the friendship of tleae who, from long and intimate acquaintance, know me to be incapable of the conauct imputed to MC, and a firm reliance on justice being ultimately done to all parties, have sup- ported me under an accumulation of attacks such as few professional men can
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