Hello! I hope you're well.
You mentioned la Fayette caught an illness while he was in prussian's hands . Did it ever mentione what kind Of illness it was?
(I know this question might make you think I'm too obsessed😅.but well...)
Wishing you the best.
Hello Anon,
I am doing fine, thank you. I hope you are well also.
I do not think that I am in a position to judge somebody for their obsession with La Fayette :-D
The short answer is that La Fayette had a fever.
The long answer is a bit more complicated. While there are quite a number of accounts from La Fayette’s illness and his symptoms during his time in Olmütz (Austria) there are very few detailed accounts of his state of health while in Prussia. The accounts we do have are often of little use, stating only that he is “ill", “unwell" or “in discomfort". La Fayette had furthermore a troubled relationship with the prison doctors. There was the continuous accusation (even more so from the guards or the director than from the doctors) that he faked his illness in order to obtain certain privileges. These privileges were fresh clothes, better food (one (not too credible, I admit) account describes La Fayette’s food as being purposefully infected with faecal matter), or the permission to leave his cell for an hour or so to go for a walk and get some fresh air.
It should also be mentioned that prison doctors were often not the most skilled members of their profession – and a fever is easy enough to diagnose. La Fayette could have even diagnosed himself. Even a highly skilled physician of that time would often give wrong or incomplete diagnoses because he had no access to the diagnostic tools we have today.
That being said, La Fayette could have either suffered solely from a fever, most likely a Relapsing Fever or the fever could have been only one symptom of a different and more severe illness. In that case I propose Epidemic typhus or Typhoid Fever. Both diseases are prevalent in overcrowded areas with bad hygiene - a prison for example. Before they were defined as two separate and identifiable diseases, patients were often diagnosed with “jail fever”, “ship fever”, “hospital fever” or “camp fever”. Jails, ships, hospitals and army camps in the 18th century were overcrowded places with poor hygiene. Epidemic typhus and Typhoid Fever have different but ultimately similar symptoms; symptoms that fit La Fayette’s symptoms. Furthermore, it is possible to survive both diseases without expert care, although the risk of these illnesses taking a mortal turn is quite high.
You see, there was a lot of speculation going on with his answer but that is all I can extract from the accounts I have read and from my general knowledge about medicine in the 18th century. I hope that helped you nonetheless and I hope that you have/had an awesome day!
