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
Farrar’s case and thirteen others of “Neurosyphilis and the War” were
included in a general work on Neurosyphilis (Case History Series,
1917, Southard and Solomon). For military syphilis in general, see
Thibierge’s _Syphilis dans l’Armée_ (also in translation).
General paresis lighted up by the stress of military service without
injury or disease?
=Case 9.= (MARIE, CHATELIN, PATRIKIOS, January, 1917.)
In apparently good health a French soldier repaired to the colors, in
August, 1914, being then 23 years old.
Two years later, August, 1916, symptoms appeared: speech disorder
with stammering, change of character (had become easily excitable),
stumbling gait. He became more and more preoccupied with his own
affairs, grew worse, and was sent to hospital in October, 1916.
He was then foolish and overhappy, especially when interviewed.
There was marked rapid tremor of face and tongue. Speech hesitant,
monotonous, and stammering to the point of unintelligibility. His
memory, at first preserved, became impaired so that half of a test
phrase was forgotten. Simple addition was impossible and fantastic sums
would be given instead of right answers. Handwriting tremulous, letters
often missed, others irregular, unequal, and misshapen.
Excitable from onset, the patient now became at times suddenly violent,
striking his wife without provocation. After visit at home, he would
forget to return to hospital. Often he would leave hospital without
permission (of course the more surprising in a disciplined soldier). No
delusions.
Serum and fluid W. R. positive; albumin; lymphocytosis.
Neurological examination: Unequal pupils, slight right-side mydriasis,
pupils stiff to light, weakly responsive in accommodation, reflexes
lively, fingers tremulous on extension of arms.
The patient had, December 5, 1916, an epileptiform attack with head
rotation, limb-contractions and clonic movements. Should this soldier
recover for disability obtained in service? Marie was inclined to
think military service in part responsible for the development of
the paresis. Laignel-Lavastine thought so also, but that the amount
assigned should be 5%-10% of the maximum assignable.
SYPHILITIC ROOT-SCIATICA (lumbosacral radiculitis) in a fireworks man
with a French artillery regiment.
=Case 10.= (LONG (DEJERINE’S clinic), February, 1916.)
No direct relation of this example of root-sciatica to the war is
claimed nor was there a question of financial reparation.
There was no prior injury. At the end of March, 1915, the workman was
taken with acute pains in lumbar region and thighs, and with urgent but
retarded micturition.
Unfit for work, he remained, however, five months with the regiment,
and was then retired for two months to a hospital behind the lines.
He reached the Salpêtrière October 12, 1915, with “double sciatica,
intractable.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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