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
As to the previous nature of this case, although there was neuropathic
heredity on the mother’s side, there had been no sign of any individual
neuropathic disposition. He had been a volunteer since 1911 in a guard
regiment of infantry. His military training had been well borne; in
the war he had fought through 20 battles. On November 11, 1914, in a
storming attack, he had had his breeches burned from the effects of a
shell. He had fallen, unconscious; the unconsciousness lasted about
eight hours. He found on awaking that he had had nosebleed. When he
wanted to get up, he found that his left leg was completely paralyzed
and insensible; in fact, he thought it had been cut away. He crawled
for about three meters to a trench in which there were several wounded.
In the evening he was taken by automobile to a field hospital, and on
the 17th was removed to a reserve hospital at Erfurt. Thence he was
transferred to the Jena Hospital, January 25, 1915.
A strongly built man, with many reflexes increased and a lively
dermatographia. The reflexes of the left, or contractured, leg were
lacking; the mastoid processes were painful, and the occiput and
temples were painful to percussion. The spinous processes of the
vertebral column in the lumbar region were painful. The other phenomena
have been sufficiently indicated above. The head sensations were
peculiar; there were no pains but a peculiar itching. Contraction of
the fingers of the left hand was painful. There was a feeling as if
there were lice under the skin in the left upper thigh. There was
itching in the nose, which the patient described as due to the sulphur
“out there,” meaning shell gases. Sleep and appetite were good. Memory
was imperfect: he could no longer remember the names of the battles,
and of late had had to count on his fingers to find out how much was
2 times 2. As to the curious parietal headache, contralateral to the
contractured leg, Binswanger inquires whether we may not here have to
do with localized vascular phenomena of the brain part which might
conceivably be related with the innervation of the leg. Binswanger
remarks that if the plaster cast be left on too long, it may happen
that hysterical contracture will take place in the new position.
As to the will exercises used in the present case, Binswanger remarks
that the patients must be intelligent and attentive, and naturally they
must desire to get well. Fortunately, many of the war hysterics do want
to get well, since the contrary experience is had in various industrial
cases.
Wound of thigh: Pseudocoxalgic monoplegia with anesthesia. Cure of
anesthesia by faradism at one sitting. Cure of lameness by reëducation
and electricity in one month.
=Case 230.= (ROUSSY and LHERMITTE, 1917.)
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