James Hamilton, the younger (1767–1839)

Abstract

Many eighteenth and early nineteenth century doctors, particularly those associated with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, seem to have had three things in common: they were brilliant (deserving of being called polymaths and polyglots), they were justifiably popular with their patients whom they served with consummate skill and compassion and they were inordinately self-opinionated and quarrelsome. Hamilton was one such physician. Brilliant, compassionate, knowledgeable, all his work patient-centred, but ruthless in his criticism of and contempt for any who disagreed with him for, in his mind, he was never wrong.

Berlin Bowel Bothers: Might Adolf Hitler’s Gut Problems Have Been Parkinson-Related?

“…Retrospective explanations given for Hitler’s gastrointestinal symptoms include functional bowel disorder [5], irritable bowel syndrome [2, 6, 7], and gastritis/peptic ulcer [8]. Within Hitler’s medical team, physicians disagreed on the diagnosis.…”

“…Often, attacks of such gastrointestinal complaints would be provoked by psychological stress, meals, or a combination thereof. By his own account, these symptoms had been present since childhood [2]. The diary kept by his personal physician, Theodor Morell (1886–1948), mentions that the first episode of cramping occurred in 1924 [3].…”

“…Another member of Hitler’s medical team, Erwin Giesing (1907–1977), noted that the symptoms became particularly prominent after 1933 [4]. Morell treated Hitler with various drugs, including probiotics and a preparation containing Belladonna-derived atropine and strychnine [2].…”