NELSON, Horatio, Viscount (1758-1805). Vice-admiral.
Autograph Letter Signed to Nelson from James Schaw, surgeon of the Madras, 3 pages 8vo, Malta, 7 August 1803, with two endorsements by Nelson. Complaining that Dr Franklin (later Sir William Franklin) had censured his actions in his medical capacity. The endorsement on the outside of the letter reads 'For Dr. Snipe'.
It would appear from this letter and from the surrounding correpondence (not here included) that Schaw had delayed in sending a seaman to the Military General Hospital when suffering from an infection fever. Schaw complains to Nelson that his professional judgement is being called into question. Although the present letter appears to be unpublished it is alluded to by Nelson in his letter to Schomberg dated 31 August 1803, in which he advises Schomberg that he will be sending Dr Snipe, physician to the fleet in the Mediterranean, to Malta to inquire into the matter:

'... I shall suspend my opinion on Mr. Schaw's conduct till I have the Physician's report, and only observe that if Mr. Schaw thought his professional judgment called in question unfairly by Dr. Franklin, he should have desired an inquiry to refute the statement, and not previously to have attacked, in a private letter, the conduct of Doctor Franklin. It is my particular directions the moment any of the people of His Majesty's Ship under your command is attacked with an infectious or inflammatory fever, that he is sent to the Military General Hospital, and not be kept on board longer than necessary.' [Dispatches and Letters, ed. Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas, vol. V, page 189

'It is with great reluctance that I am impelled for a moment to encroach on your Lordship's time, which is undoubtedly at present occupied in no small degree, but the cause is of a singular nature, and when I consider how easily even the best of hearts may be biased, by a representation of one side only of a question, I trust your Lordship will forgive the sentiment which urges me thus to intrude on your more important avocations.
 It is not necessary to detain your Lordship with a recital of the cause which has given rise to this correspondence, as I believe you already know it, the enclosed letters will also give your Lordship some farther information on the subject. In my letter to Captain Schomberg, (of which the inclosed is nearly a copy) your Lordship will see, and I hope in their proper light, my reasons for what I have done in the execution of my professional duty, it will therefore be unnecessary & improper to occupy more of you Lordship's time on that head. With regard to my private letter [these three words underlined and marked with a cross by Nelson - referring to his autograph note 'not sent'] to Doctor Franklin, it was dictated by my feelings, deeply wounded, by his very severe reflections on my medical character. If there be severities in it (My Lord) they stand justified I humble conceive, by the asperity and want of feeling apparent in his letter to Captain Schomberg, and as he entered into no explanation of the expressions used in it, it was impossible for me without the greatest injury to my feelings to retract mine. I trust, My Lord, with the greatest confidence to your Lordship's unprejudiced mind for a candid judgment in this affair ...'

Nelson also wrote to Major-General Villettes in Malta, on 29 August 1803, to the following effect:

'"When Doctors differ who shall decide?" I am sure it is out of my power.'

This quotation is generally attributed to Sir Richard Burton (1821-1890), but was translated by him from The Kasîdah ofHâjî Abdû el-Yezdî.
Letters written to Nelson rarely appear on the market.
[No: 21990]