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
In 1914, Q. fell suddenly ill in prison (he was presumably in prison
for a military offence), and smeared the cell with feces, saying that
he was able to do that as he could pay for anything. He stared at
the floor and failed to answer questions. He remarked, however, that
he had frequently been convicted for breach of the peace and assault
and battery, and he said his father had been a drunkard, and he
acknowledged hallucinations to the extent of saying that he heard his
name called when he was alone.
The story of this case warrants our inquiring why such a patient was
kept in the army. He was kept there clearly on account of the report of
the regimental surgeon, who could not have taken seriously the previous
history of the case, or else thought the patient perfectly good cannon
fodder.
The hypothesis of syphilis apparently need not be entertained. That of
feeblemindedness is possibly the fundamental diagnosis, yet epilepsy
was considered by the German diagnosticians, doubtless on account of
the sudden violent attacks and breaches of peace on the part of the
patient. There is clearly something behind mere alcoholism in the
entire story of this state ward. On the whole, the periodicity of the
attacks is equally consistent with the picture presented by numerous
feeble-minded persons, and the institutions that had to deal with Q.
regarded him rather as epileptoid. There seems to be evidence of actual
intellectual defect. Accordingly it seems wiser to consider the case
of Julius Q. one of feeblemindedness, possibly of the moron group. We
should then consider the epileptoid features as part and parcel of the
feeblemindedness. We should consider the intellectual defect a part
of the process; and the uncontrollable impulse to drink, the sudden
violent attacks, and the cruelty in childhood would then be regarded
as merely symptomatic of the feeblemindedness. It seems clear that
either mental tests by the regimental surgeon or an examination of the
patient’s previous history would tend to exclude such a patient from
the army.
How can a rifleman be an imbecile?
=Case 45.= (KASTAN, January, 1916.)
Anton K. was down in the list as “missing.” He was found at home. He
said his feet had become sore from the marching. He had lain down and
become unconscious. Coming to his senses, he was possessed only of
trousers and a shirt but he got a civilian suit in a village. He had
gone home part way by train, part way on foot. It seems that he did not
tell his father any details about his coming back although he expressly
denied deserting.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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