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
Thibierge devotes a chapter to syphilis as a national danger. Not
only do available statistics prove that there is more syphilis in
the population since the outbreak of war, but the number of married
women going to special hospitals for syphilis is abnormally high and
entirely out of proportion to the number of married women resorting
to these clinics in peace times. A certain number are contaminated
by their husbands on leave. Thibierge calls attention to the fact of
the extraordinary frequency of syphilis in young men (two or three,
sixteen to eighteen years of age, at Saint-Louis Hospital at each
consultation).
A disciplinary case: Syphilitic?
=Case 11.= (KASTAN, January, 1916.)
Reports varied about a certain German soldier who came up for
discipline. Inferiors thought he was harsh and tricky. A lieutenant
declared that the man always wanted to have proper respect paid to him,
and that he was unduly excited by trifles. The man had become latterly
very nervous on account of battle strain and protracted shelling.
July 28, 1915, the man, who had been drinking with comrades the night
before, was excitedly talking to an officer concerning relief of a
guard. The soldier stated, “As a sergeant on duty with a service record
of 15 years, I think it is my affair.” The lieutenant replied, “So
far as I am concerned, the matter is settled.” The sergeant yelled,
“As far as I am concerned, it is settled also. By the way, my name
is _Mr._ Vice Sergeant …,” and with that the sergeant wrote down the
lieutenant’s words and refused to obey the lieutenant’s order to
“Stop writing.” The lieutenant drew his sword and said, “Take your
hands down.” The sergeant replied, “Surely I am permitted to write.”
Lieutenant: “Subordination; don’t forget yourself, Vice Sergeant.…”
The sergeant jeered, “You forgot yourself anyhow;” whereupon the
lieutenant: “Well, such a thing never happened to me before.” The
sergeant, jeeringly, “Nor to me either. If I were not in undress I
should know what to do.” The lieutenant: “Vice Sergeant …, remain here.
This matter will be settled at once.” The sergeant: “It is _Mr._ Vice
Sergeant …,” whereupon he gave his notebook to a hornblower and said,
“Write.” The lieutenant: “Stay.” The sergeant: “What, stay here. No,
I’ll not stay,” and made off. The lieutenant called after him, “Put
on your service dress and see the captain.” He made ready but said,
“This half-idiot gives an order like that to a sergeant with 15 years’
record.”
The examination showed that the man had a hypalgesia. He complained of
violent headaches. He said that he had had syphilis 10 years before;
there were no bodily stigmata.
Regulations broken: General paresis.
=Case 12.= (KASTAN, January, 1916.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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