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
Analysis indicated that this sergeant received a moral shock as a
consequence of his fatigue and the shell fire, which emerged in a spell
of confusion. It may be that his predisposition had something to do
also with this spell and the fatigue. In any event, it seems as if the
latter phenomena were not all assignable to war stress.
IX. CYCLOTHYMOSES
(THE MANIC-DEPRESSIVE GROUP)
A maniacal volunteer.
=Case 163.= (BOUCHEROT, 1915-6.)
An Alsatian became the object of much attention when he enlisted at
the outbreak of the war in the infantry at the age of 59. He was
interviewed and soon became more than naturally exuberant. The peculiar
things he did soon brought him to Fleury in a gay and expansive mood,
singing and talking as hail fellow with everyone he met.
The next day he grew more excited, disrobed and threw his things out
of the window, filled his bed with excrement and wanted to smear the
orderly therewith. He took other attendants for old friends and wanted
to kiss them. His language and ideas were incoherent. He broke glass.
This situation of alternate joy and anger lasted one month, leaving
him in an excitable, unruly state. He wrote many prolix letters to
the prefects and the ministers, insisting on the discharge of certain
patients and offering plans for the defense of France. He got better
and finally, in October, 1914, was invalided home still slightly
exalted.
_Re_ the cyclothymias, Montembault remarks that manias have been less
numerous than melancholias in the present war, whereas in 1870, manias
were more common than melancholias. Morselli likewise remarks upon the
rarity of manias amongst the Italian soldiers. Butenko reports upon the
maniacal cases amongst the Russians and how the men wish to enter the
ranks, the women the nurse corps. E. Meyer, for Germany, found 4 per
cent manic-depressives. Birnbaum quotes from Bonhoeffer (3 per cent)
and Hahn (2 per cent) for war times as against Stier’s 9.5 per cent of
cyclothymic cases in the antebellum period, 1905-1906.
Fugue: melancholia.
=Case 164.= (LOGRE, 1916.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account