Page "Sir William Gull, 1st Baronet" Paragraph 63

Miss K was brought to Gull's attention by a Dr. Leachman, of Petersfield, in 1887.

He notes the details in the last of his medical papers to be published.

Miss K was aged 14 years in 1887.

She was the third child in a family of six, one of whom died in infancy.

Her father had died, aged 68, of pneumonic phthisis.

Her mother was living and in good health ; she had a sister who displayed various nervous symptoms and an eplieptic nephew.

With these exceptions, no other neurotic cases were recorded in the family.

Miss K, who was described as a plump, healthy girl until the beginning of 1887, began to refuse all food except half cups of tea or coffee in February that year.

She was referred to Gull and began to visit him of 20 April 1887 ; in his notes, he remarks that she persisted in walking through the streets to his house despite being an object of attention to passers-by.

He records that she displayed no sign of organic disease ; her respiration was 12 to 14 ; her pulse was 46 ; and her temperature was 97 ° F.

Her urine was normal.

Her weight was 4 stone 7 pounds ( 63 pounds ) and her height was 5 feet 4 inches.

Miss K expressed herself to Gull as " quite well ".

Gull arranged for a nurse from Guy's to supervise her diet, ordering light food every few hours.

After six weeks, Dr. Leachman reported good progress and by 27 July her mother reported that her recovery was almost complete, with the nurse by this time no longer being needed.