[lit-ideas] Re: Mop Rumpchuck

Thanks so much. I am especially interested, however, in the differences
between officer and enlisted symptoms you mentioned. Can you generalize a
bit?
John

On Thu, Feb 28, 2008 at 3:43 PM, David Ritchie <ritchierd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

>
> On Feb 27, 2008, at 8:54 PM, John McCreery wrote:
>
> > Fascinating. Could you give us some examples?
> >
> > John
> In the years when I was writing my thesis the history of medicine
> concerned itself for the most part with the doctor's point of view,
> trying to figure out, to cite a British example, the history of the
> relationships among physicians, surgeons and general practitioners.
> I decided I wanted to work from patient records, reading them as
> notes that came from the pens of doctors but which also revealed what
> patients said.  Here are transcripts of four other ranks' "shell-
> shock" records in 1914:
>
> 93774, Admitted 8/14 to Northern General Hospital. Leeds.  Corporal,
> Age 25, 5 years' service.  Pain in chest, 2 yrs.  Sept Murmur, not
> organic.  Abdomen tender.  Functional.  Returned to duty.
>
> 93776.  Admitted 9/14 to Northern General Hospital.  Private, Age
> 36.  Loss of control of himself.  Giddy.  5 yrs ago had a "shaking
> do" from head lasting many weeks.  Present symptoms came on with 2nd
> day's drill.  Symptoms obviously neurotic.  Col B. suggested a
> fortnight's further observation with drilling daily.  Returned to duty.
>
> 93778, Admitted 9/14.  Trooper, Age 23,  1 year's service.  Blanks
> out and is wild.  Electrical engineer.  Nervous man.  No bruits.  To
> be watched.  To duty.
>
> 93786, Admitted 9/14 to Northern General Hospital.  Col Sgt, Age 41,
> 20 years' service.  Much work and responsibility for last 3/4
> months.  Couldn't think.  7 days rest.  No benefit.  Lost memory.
> Tremor of hand and leg.  "I should be glad of an opinion in this
> case.  There is very little improvement: I scarcely think the man is
> malingering and yet I cannot feel he is making his best effort.  Note
> rank."  To duty.
>
> The charts, penned and signed by AMC doctors in British hospitals
> (which means that these are the cases that were severe enough to be
> sent back to Blighty or that happened before the soldiers were
> shipped overseas) describe what puzzled doctors.  Sometimes there
> were attempts at diagnostic language, "psythchasthenia with
> hysteria?" but mostly the charts are headed with terse tales, "Gas
> attack blew mind," "Fell off a bridge in Valley of Marne.  Fell back
> into one foot of water.  Thirty foot down," "Pain in knees, in
> heart," "Shrapnel and bullet wounds.  Trembling and sweating on
> slightest emotion or excitement," "Bullet wound.  Severe pain all
> over," "Shot a man accidentally 14 days ago.  Has been upset very
> much since,"  "Fell on left part of chest while boxing at his depot,"
> "Headaches, two months.  Vomiting after meat," "Lack of nervous
> stamina."
>
> Civilian psychic ailments were carried into and recognized by the
> military.  But there's much more that complicates the issue.
>
> I'll write about some of that tomorrow.
>
> David Ritchie,
> Portland, Oregon
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-- 
John McCreery
The Word Works, Ltd., Yokohama, JAPAN
Tel. +81-45-314-9324
http://www.wordworks.jp/

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