A woman’s war experience

Medical case sheet for a member of the Women’s army who was suffering from anxiety, described as ‘Hysteria’, (Catalogue ref: MH 106/2208)

Transcript

Medical Case Sheet                                                     Army Form I 1237
No, in Admission and Discharge Book

558

Regimental No.

319

Rank

Wkr.

Surname

King

Christian Name

Lily

Year Unit Age Service
1918 Q.M.A.A.C./Graville Unit 6

[Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) later called Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps]

28 18 month
Station & Date

No. 1 (Presby. USA) General Hospital [Etretat]

 

23/9/18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disease:  Debility and Anaemia. Hysteria

 

Civil History: Always in good health. Five or six years ago breakdown from overwork.

Past History: Always well until two months ago at Rouen. Air raids make her nervous. Headaches like a boring in her head. Very nervous. Hearing has been bad for months.

Present Illness: Went to bed six days ago with very sickly weak feeling and headache, with pain in the back of her neck. No other pains. No globus [feeling or sensation of a lump in the throat] but has boring sensation in head.

Physical examination: Marked nervousness. Coarse tremor. No thyroid enlargement. Heart: not enlarged but rapid, irritable, Sysy. [systolic] Murmur along [left] border. Lungs: negative. Spleen? No anaemia.

Diagnosis: Hysteria with marked effort syndrome [Anxiety reaction characterized by quick fatigue, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and other cardiac symptoms, but not caused by disease of the heart]

Recommendation

England. Will not be fit for duty for three months at least.

 

This worker may be transferred to U.K. for a change of air & surroundings.

17.10.18

 

 

Return to Medicine on the Western Front (part two)