Died of strain and overwork

[johnboy]

I have seen some nurses as dying of strain and overwork. Was this used in place of something else or was it a genuine cause of death?

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

9 hours ago, johnboy said:

I have seen some nurses as dying of strain and overwork. Was this used in place of something else or was it a genuine cause of death?

Well you couldn't  put it on a death certificate  nowadays.

Were these certified causes of death or anecdotal evidence in letters?

Could you post some examples of the circumstances of deaths?

Makes you wonder if there were underlying causes :undiagnosed cardiac diseases, depression leading to suicides, anorexia etc, but that the deaths were attributedas being due to strain or overwork.

[johnboy]

The refs come from pics. I will try and post one later. 

[johnboy]

MISS EDYTHE HELLYER

Miss Edythe Hellyer, Voluntary Aid Detachments. Died from overstrain of hospital work 16 December 1916.

Could not post the pic.

 

Edited 14 August , 2016 by johnboy

[johnboy]

[PhilB]

It seems unlikely that much trouble was taken with post mortem examinations in those circumstances, so maybe a best guess sufficed?

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

37 minutes ago, PhilB said:

It seems unlikely that much trouble was taken with post mortem examinations in those circumstances, so maybe a best guess sufficed?

Yes , more than likely.

Although I wouldn't  rule out suicide.

Telling the family she died a heroine rather than the unpalatable truth, would have been a much easier and neater solution.

How old would she have been?

Edited 14 August , 2016 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr

[TEW]

Madame Angèle Pettit has been mentioned on forum before. Sue Light put up a copy of a letter containing her name.

 

.TEW

Edited 14 August , 2016 by TEW

[johnboy]

I suppose a stroke could be put down to strain and overwork ?

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

OK.

A stroke.

 

Usually either a bleed into the brain, or a blockage of an artery in the brain or neck due to a clot (thrombosis).

Almost always caused by arteriosclerosis, sometimes a genetic predisposition.

Predisposing factors for arteriosclerosis are increasing age,  male sex, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, and several other things, but 'Strain' and 'Overwork' although perhaps aggrevating blood pressure would not be acceptable nowadays as a direct factor in the causation of death.

 

Nowadays the certificate would say something like:

I.a) Cerebral haemorrhage due to

b ) Arteriosclerosis due to

c ) Hypertension and Diabetes mellitus
II) Any other disease contributing to death, but not causing death eg. Chronic Obstructive  Airways Disease

 

You will see that 'Strain' and 'Overwork' would not appear.

I think you would  in any case be hard pushed to find anyone during the war years who were not under strain or overworked.

[johnboy]

The description I have seen is only for nurses. As they are from a medical  establishment it intrigued me.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

johnboy,

Just a thought.

The photograph says 'Overstrain'.

Is this perhaps a mis-translation of hypertension (High Blood Pressure)?

 

Don't know what they would have called it in France in 1918, I think it's hypertension in France nowadays.

'Tension haute' might mean high voltage, but you could see it as a possible source of confusion.

Maybe?

[johnboy]

I'll go back and try and find others. I was looking for something else at the time but you know how it is!

[johnboy]

[PhilB]

I believe Haig`s demise (heart attack?) was similarly attributed in various texts to the strain of his war service and post war charitable activities .

[johnboy]

Would these deaths be recorded by CWGC?

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

1 hour ago, johnboy said:

Would these deaths be recorded by CWGC?

I couldn't find her.

[johnboy]

That is why I asked. Should she be listed?

[TEW]

I think J M Kirk is Jane Millar Kirk who has 2 VAD cards. One states 'died on active service No. 7 convalescent camp France'.

http://www.redcross.org.uk/About-us/Who-we-are/History-and-origin/First-World-War/Card?sname=kirk&page=3&id=126998&backwards=true

 

However, her engagement was terminated in July 1917, 5 months before her death. Perhaps her engagement terminated when she got ill so 'died on active service' is not quite right, and another reason she is not on CWGC.

 

Anyone on British committee French Red Cross will not feature on CWGC.

TEW

[johnboy]

Thanks for the link

[johnboy]

[TEW]

H M Peel, chauffeur to BRCS in France. Again, service terminated prior to death.

 

2 cards available http://www.redcross.org.uk/About-us/Who-we-are/History-and-origin/First-World-War/Card?fname=helen&sname=peel&id=236255&backwards=true

 

TEW

[PhilB]

I wonder if any of the labouring classes of that time (miners, navvies, etc) ever officially died of overstrain!

Edited 15 August , 2016 by PhilB

[Jim Strawbridge]

From my database, these were recorded as death through strain or a contributing factor of it  :-

Olive Louise BENNETT, VAD

Mary E.E.M. BOSHELL, VAD and Belgian Red X (actually committed suicide because of it)

Margaret Ellison DUCKERS, QAIMNS, caused through conditions in Macedonia

F.M. GIBSON, VAD

Doris GLEADOW, VAD

Mary M. HADLEY, VAD

Edith Caroline HELLYER

Jane Millar KIRK, VAD

Flossie Hannah LEWIS, VAD

Elizabeth MARCHI, factory worker

Lady Mabell OGILVY, VAD (and appendicitis)

Angele PETTIT, French Red X

Florence Jane SETTLE, VAD

Henrietta F.B. WILDASH, VAD

Irene WILLIAMS, VAD (and heart attack)

ps  Helen Peel died of spotted fever

Edited 16 August , 2016 by Jim Strawbridge

[TEW]

Margaret Ellison DUCKERS' WO399 record gives death on 16/5/1918.

 

And a long correspondance on her general health and state of mind, including;

 

 

And a rather heart tugging letter from her mother.

 

 

TEW