Sir William Knighton Bt MD GCH LRCP (1776-1836): courtier and confidante--testimony to physicianly virtues?
Sir William Knighton went from general practitioner in Devon to close friend and adviser of King George IV. He contributed remarkably to the stability of the Crown, bringing this dysfunctional King's finances under control and enabling the work of government requiring Royal decision-making to proceed much more effectively than it might otherwise have done. Inevitably he was involved in the making and breaking of ministries but appears to have done so with some reluctance. His detractors appear to have been motivated mainly by envy, fear of loss of patronage and social prejudice. His Royal career echoes physicianly virtues of fidelity to trust, empathy and honesty. He made every effort to keep a low public profile in order to minimize envy and intrusion into his private life. His success in this regard may account for the fact that he is practically unknown today despite a unique career in British medicine.
Hoffbrand
Barry I
BI
Whittington Hospital NHS Trust, UK. barry.hoffbrand@btopenworld.com
D058005:General Practitioners / Q000266:history*; D006076:Government / Q000266:history; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D008512:Medicine in the Arts; D006113:United Kingdom