[NAPOLEON I (1769-1821). Emperor of the French.]
Important letter from Dr Archibald Arnott to his wife in the month of Napoleon's death, 4 pages 4to including address panel (splitting repaired), cross-written. Dated from St Helena, 24 May 1821.

'... I must tell you I was in attendance on Bonaparte for some weeks before he died, I was the only British Medical officer he would see, or has seen since I have been on the Island, and what was flattering to me, I was his own choice. However when I perceived his complaint putting on a serious aspect, I felt it my duty to not to disguise my opinion to his followers, as well as to the Governor, that they might all be prepared for whatever might happen. The latter, as a mark of attention, was desirous that every medical man on the Island of any experience, as well as those of the Navy should have consultation on his case, but Bonaparte declined seeing any one except myself, and his own Italian Physician [Antommarchi] paid me a compliment by saying he placed every confidence in me. Therefore you may easily imagine the weighty responsibility I had; however it was a great satisfaction to me, on opening the body afterward, that the cause of death was so obvious, it was a cancer of the stomach, an incurable disease. ... I consider it the greatest era in my life to have attended such a character as the Ex-Emperor of France, and I was on those terms with him that he used to converse with me without reserve. He was a man of a great mind and altho' I was aware that if he had had his liberty he would have again been the cause of much bloodshed in Europe, yet I could not help commiserating him in his state of captivity. ... as a testimony of his esteem, he has left me a gold snuff box and £500. Upon the lid of the box he has scratched an N with his own hand which enhances its value more than if it had been done by a celebrated engraver. ...'

The letter continues with speculation as to the future of the regiment now that the establishment at St Helena will be broken up, and a good deal of family and personal news.
Archibald Arnott (1771-1855) was surgeon to the 20th Foot, stationed on St Helena, and was chosen by Napoleon to attend him in what became his last illness. He was to publish a report on the Emperor's final illness and death in 1822. There were many physicians on the island, but Napoleon had become unhappy with several of them, particularly his personal physician, Dr Barry O'Meara, who had been ordered to leave his service in July 1818. O'Meara was later replaced by Francesco Antommarchi, a Corsican who had trained in medicine at Pisa and Florence. Antommarchi performed the post-mortem examination attended by seven British medical officers (including Arnott), various members of Napoleon's establishment and a British major general.
The controversy and speculation over the cause of Napoleon's death continues to this day, and is unlikely to be positively resolved. A remarkably long list of possible diagnoses has been suggested over the years - malaria, epilepsy, tuberculosis, brucellosis, syphilis, schistosomiasis, amebiasis, uremia with dropsy, and autointoxication due to constipation, to name but a few. It is clear, however, that Arnott, who was present at the autopsy, had no doubt that the cause was cancer of the stomach, a view now shared by many.
[No: 21802]