Richard Croft

Sir Richard Croft was the English obstetrician of Princess Charlotte who became famous due to his role in "the triple obstetrical tragedy" of 1817.

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Croft was trained by his father-in-law, Dr. Thomas Denman, a preeminent obstetrician in London at the turn of the nineteenth century, whose textbook on childbirth had been first published in 1788.

Triple death

When Princess Charlotte conceived in February 1817, Croft was chosen to attend her. Following medical dogma, Croft restricted her diet and bled her during the pregnancy. Her membranes broke 42 weeks after her last period on November 3, 1817. Her bedroom at Claremont was chosen as the labor and delivery room. The first stage of labor lasted 26 hours. At the beginning of the second stage of labor, Croft sent for Dr. John Sims, who arrived 7 hours later. The second stage of labor lasted 24 hours. Forceps were not used as they had fallen in disfavor. A cesarean section at that time would have resulted in the princess's death. Eventually, Princess Charlotte delivered a stillborn 9-pound male. Five hours later she died, presumably from concealed inner bleeding.

Although the princess's husband and father sent messages to thank Croft for his care and attention, Croft was distraught over the outcome. Three weeks later, he shot himself. Near his body a copy of Shakespeare’s Love's Labour's Lost was found open with the passage (Act V, Scene II): "Fair Sir, God save you! Where is the Princess?"

References

• Shingleton (July-August 2005). "A Famous Triple Death Tragedy". ACOG Clinical Review 10: 14-16.