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
During the war he was given to alcoholism, and one day in June, 1916,
he struck an officer and ran away to arm himself. He was at this time
observed by psychiatrists and declared sane. He was regarded as an
emotional and alcoholic epileptic but not as neurotic or psychopathic.
He was again placed in a special disciplinary corps.
_Re_ the convulsions which this Italian developed during antisyphilitic
treatment, it would be interesting to know whether intravenous
injections were used. In case they were used, one might compare
the case of this Italian with Bonhoeffer’s volunteer who developed
epileptic convulsions after antityphoid inoculation.
_Re_ the insubordination and violence of this Italian, compare remarks
of Lépine noted under Cases 59 and 60. _Re_ the “other factors,”
compare remarks of Bonhoeffer noted under Case 57.
An epileptic goes through Mons and two years fighting without symptoms.
Then strange conduct with amnesia.
=Case 64.= (HURST, March, 1917.)
A private, 26, epileptic from 11 to 18 (mother also epileptic) entered
the army at 20, attempted to commit suicide in 1912 (amnestic for this
attempt), and went to France with the expeditionary force in August,
1914. The retreat from Mons and further fighting caused no recurrence
of the symptoms. September, 1916, he was in fact put in charge of eight
men doing guard duty. At this time he was able to get to bed only every
other night. The charge of the telephone worried him, as he had never
before been made to assume responsibility. After two months of this,
he was found one night arresting civilians without cause and driving
them before him with fixed bayonet. He was let off court-martial on the
medical evidence, and at hospital remained confused and suspicious.
November 16, he was seen by a medical officer in a typical attack of
petit mal. Of all this, on reaching England December 19, he had no
recollection, and was keen to return to duty.
_Re_ the remarkable delay in the return of epilepsy to this soldier of
Mons, Bonhoeffer remarks that one of the epileptics observed by him at
the Charité Clinic had passed through nine battles, and another through
18 battles before the first attack of epilepsy. Bonhoeffer regarded the
strenuous marching as a liberating factor of epilepsy in five cases,
actual fighting in seven cases, shell explosions in two cases, and
bullet wounds in three.
_Re_ the apparently psychogenic factor in Hurst’s case (epilepsy coming
on after assumption of too great responsibilities), compare remarks of
Bonhoeffer under Case 57 concerning psychogenic factors. Sir George
Savage has called attention to a form of functional epilepsy following
shock or injury, in which recovery occurs after removal from the
strain, but in which there is a relapse if the men go back to duty.
Therapeutic (antityphoid inoculation) epilepsy.
=Case 65.= (BONHOEFFER, July, 1915.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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