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
Astasia-abasia 14
Generalized tremor 12
Brachial monoplegia 11
Isolated contracture 6
Crural paraplegia 5
Mutism 5
Isolated tic 4
Hemiplegia 3
Isolated respiratory convulsions 2
Isolated sensory disorder 1
Fifty-one of the 63 cases were freed by therapy from their main
symptoms (twenty-eight cases cured in one or two hypnotic sittings).
Prolonged bombardment; shell explosion (nearby?): Depression; suicidal
attempt; hypertensive spinal fluid.
=Case 207.= (LERICHE, September, 1915.)
A patient entered an evacuation hospital June 27, having come from
an ambulance with a ticket reading, “Melancholic depression, with
stupor--attempt at suicide (threw himself into a pond)--sprained
ankle--to be evacuated, lying down, on a milk diet.” The patient was
depressed, indifferent to surroundings, irresponsive, and did not even
look at an interlocutor. There was no other somatic sign except a pulse
of 62. He did not eat, and remained lying down, without movement.
Lumbar puncture in a sitting posture yielded a clear liquid under
pressure of 34. June 30, another lumbar puncture yielded clear fluid of
a dichroic appearance when looked at from above. 25 c.c. were removed.
July 1, there had been a good deal of improvement. The patient said he
was better and began to take a little milk. July 2, there was still
some improvement. Pulse 60. He said that his condition had lasted a
month and that it followed a violent and prolonged bombardment for ten
days in his sector. July 3, he was much better, began to look about,
talk, and eat a little. July 4, lumbar puncture yielded a clear fluid
with a pressure of 30, reduced to 22 after withdrawal of 20 c.c.
According to Leriche, explosion of large calibre shells or of a mine
can produce cerebral or spinal symptoms, some of which are removed
by lumbar puncture. The fluid is red shortly after the explosion and
under hypertension for some days. Such hypertension may be found even
in shell cases that have no other sign of cerebral condition. This
particular melancholy patient had a relapse and another depression with
fugue.
Example of HEMATOMYELIA, indirect result of bullet wound. Partial
recovery.
=Case 208.= (MENDELSSOHN, January, 1916.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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