The bronchial troubles from which King Edward suffered would no
doubt have been overcome by his remarkable consti- tution if he had been a younger man. The inflammation of the air-tubes, which extended to the smaller as well as to the larger tubes, put an excessive strain on the heart in the mere set of breathing. To some extent the process of breathing was aided by the introduction of oxygen, that beneficent auxiliary of modern medical science ; but there comes a point in severe bronchitis at which the blood is insufficiently a.erated even with this help. This point appears to have been reached rapidly in the development of King Edward's illness, and the heart gave way under the excessive strain. On the afternoon of Friday week he sank into a coma, and so passed Peacefully away. His resolution and courage till that moment had been extraordinary. He had refused to keep to his bed and had transacted business of State.
