Hitler physically afflicted by reverses

18th July 1943: Dr Theodor Morell treats the Fuhrer for flatulence and constipation

Dr Morrell and Adolf Hitler on the Berghof terrace in the summer of 1940.

Hitler suffered from a number of illnesses during the war, mainly related to nervous exhaustion and abdominal complaints. These were undoubtedly exacerbated when the war was going badly. Many people regarded him as something of a hypochondriac. His readiness to try alternative therapies probably led him to put his trust in Dr Theodor Morell as his personal doctor. Morell indulged him with various patent medicines that may have done Hitler more harm than good.

Theodor Morell (1886 - 1948) was Adolf Hitler's personal physician from the end of 1936 until the end of the war.

Theodor Morell may have been implicitly trusted by Hitler - but he was regarded as a fraud by many others. A Wehrmacht doctor, Dr Giesing, tried the little black 'anti-gas pills' that Morell was issuing to discover their effect. He experienced 'irritability, photophobia and stomach cramps' - they contained strychnine. Nevertheless, Hitler continued with Morell who was always ready with an injection when he felt tired or a herbal tea enema for his gastric problems. He saw him on an almost daily basis.

Diagnosis: Spastic constipation caused by overwork over the last few days - three days with virtually no sleep, one conference after another and working far into the night.

On the 18th July Hitler was under a lot of stress.