Shell-shock and other neuropsychiatric problems : $b Presented in five hundred and eighty-nine case histories from the war literature, 1914-1918Southard, Elmer Ernest
History
Shell-shock and other neuropsychiatric problems : $b Presented in five hundred and eighty-nine case histories from the war literature, 1914-1918
Southard, Elmer Ernest
War neuroses; World War, 1914-1918 -- Medical care; World War, 1914-1918 -- Psychological aspects
Improvement followed, the atrophy gradually passed away, and the
voluntary movements of the legs became more extensive; but by October
the reflexes had not yet reappeared. Yet the patient had begun to
walk on crutches and soon was able to get on with canes only. The
improvement did not continue. He did not raise his heels and dragged
his toes. There was now a clonic tremor of the legs as soon as the
weight of the body was put on them. During movements of legs carried
on in dorsal decubitus there was found an irregular tremor of the legs
with twisting of the trunk. The muscular strength was well preserved.
There was a slight muscular atrophy. The tendon reflexes had now come
back, though the right Achilles jerk was weak and the plantar reflexes
were absent. There was a hypalgesia of the legs which ceased sharply
at the middle of the thighs. There was a slight hypoacusia on the left
side. Visual fields normal. The patient complained of feelings in the
inside of his bones. Electrical reactions normal.
Diphtheria: Hysterical paraparesis.
=Case 128.= (MARCHAND, 1917.)
A soldier, 24, was evacuated June 24, 1915, from Roussy for diphtheria
and was treated by serum, receiving 80 cc. in 8 injections. A few
days later there was a paralysis of the uvula with regurgitation of
liquids from the nose; but patient was able to go on convalescence July
21. A few days later, however, he noticed that his legs were weak.
Vertigo, vomiting and painful walking followed, and his convalescence
was increased a month. The paralysis got progressively worse.
September 10, he went by automobile to Libourne where he stayed two
months. He arrived at the Neurological Center at Bordeaux November 9
with diagnosis “polyneuritis of legs.” He could not walk and could
hardly flex thighs on pelvis or legs on thighs. Voluntary movements
of extension and flexion of feet and toes were limited. There was
neither atrophy, pain nor reflex disorder. Both legs were analgesic,
as was also the abdomen up to the umbilicus. There was complaint of
dorsolumbar pains and of stomach trouble and lack of appetite; vomiting
after meals frequent, pulse 120.
January 3, the patient was able to lift his legs a few centimeters
above the bed but not together. There was now a slight muscular atrophy
especially on the left side. Knee-jerks lively, analgesia limited to
legs, no vomiting, pulse rapid.
The patient was sent to a hospital in the country May 8 to July 8. He
was now much better. His legs were able to support his body but he
could not walk. Slight atrophy of left leg. There was hypalgesia now in
the feet and legs below the knee. There was no pain on pressure over
the nerve trunks. The electric reactions normal. The patient could now
walk on crutches. He was invalided on the temporary basis, December 12,
1916.
It does not appear that in this case the hysterical paralysis was
preceded by polyneuritis.
Malaria: Amnesia.
=Case 129.= (DE BRUN, November, 1917.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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