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[MEDICINE]. CROFT, Sir Richard (1762-1818). Autograph Letter Signed Describing a Uterine Rupture. England, [11] December 1813. Manuscript letter by Sir Richard Croft, Physician to King George III and the Royal Family, accoucheur (obstetrician), and British peer, describes complications of a pregnancy four years before the “triple obstetrical tragedy” Princess Charlotte which has become his unfortunate infamy. 8vo. 2 pages in manuscript. Double leaf measuring approximately 4 ¾ x 7 ¼”. Leaf watermarked with the year 1811, with integral address, two postal ink stamps and a lovely red wax seal. Very faint age-toning only to sections of the leaf exposed for mailing, otherwise in very good condition, horizontal creases, yet beautifully preserved and highly relevant to the writer’s occupation as a man-midwife and the complications of pregnancy and birthing in the early nineteenth century. “Sir Richard Croft (1762-1818) physician and man-midwife gained notoriety after his involvement in the labor of Princess Charlotte, which resulted in her death. He never shook off the shame of the tragedy, and shot himself three months later.” (Oxford DNB). Letter excerpt: “I have but just time to say, we found the Peritoneal Coat of the Uterus, at the under part of the fundus, lacerated in four places, about three quarts of fluid blood in the abdomen, the bladder empty & the Uterus contracted so as to be about the size of my two fists, & nearly within the pelvis. The lacerations had not past through the Muscular coat of the Uterus... No one can doubt but the fall on Monday was the cause of all this.” The letter is addressed to highly esteemed surgeon Dr. Edward Hogg, Esq., of Hendon, Middlesex.