The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-18
MADE INSANE BY THE WAR.
TWENTY SOLDIERS ALREADY sENT
TO ST. ELLzABETH'S.
The Physicians at the Government Hospital

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The Physicians at the Government Hospital
in Washington Expect Many More Pa
tients-The Strain of Camp Life Worse
Than Bnttle-Delusions of the Insane.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17.-War causes insan-
ity. Already twenty soldiers whose insanity
has arisen from the war with Spain have been
sent to the Government Hospital for the In-
sane near Washington. and the physicians
say a greater number will come In the future.
The OWL war filed asylums all over the coun-
try with patients and new cases are still de-
veloping that are directly traceable to the con-
ditions OF that war.
st. Elizabeth's Hospital is strictly a Govern
ment institution. and II is there that all Of
Uncle SANS soldiers suffering from mental
arrangement are sent to be treated. Since Its
establishment 1t has treated more than 10000
cases. q few hundred NJ them being from the
District Of Columbia, but the greater number
being from the United States Army and Navy.
The asylum IL regarded as one OF the finest In
the country. and every comfort is Afforded to
the patients, who can be seen by hundreds at
barred windows or roaming through the beau
tiful grounds. Old soldiers 0it about under
the trees and dodge from imaginary foes.
They hide papers from the enemy and perform
all the foot and arm movements known TO mil
itary tactics. Attendants are constantly with
them and maintain n close watch to prevent
them from harming themselves.
A Sun reporter visited the asylum recently
and learned OF several patients who came
from the volunteer army since the war with
Spain began. Contrary to the general SUPPOSE
tion, the excitement Of battle produces fewer
lunatics than camp life. OF course there is
another class Of cases that comes to the at
tention Of the hospital officials. 1t consists Of
the cranks who journey to Washington to see
tho Draafdant A lar0a nupnhar ~ thaaa uyara
produced by the Spanish war. but nearly oil
of them were harmless. and after a brief de-
tention at st. Elizabeth's were sent to their
homes.
Out Of the twenty patients from the volun-
teer and regular service received since the
breaking out OF the Spanish war only one Is
traceable to excitement. The patient In that
case Is a young volunteer In an Illinois regi-
ment. His command was stationed at Chicka-
manga, together with other Illinois regiments.
and there was considerable rivalry between
the organizations. Whenever the men Of one
regiment could break through the guard line
Of their friends regiment they did so. and this
led to frequent fights. One night the young
man in question was on sentry duty. 1t was
very dark and several men from another regi-
ment had determined to get through the lines.
They approached. him and met, with resist
and called out the guard. Then an effort was
made to get his gun from him, but he fought
R Rffeyel syv erd RRiEexeRR as q fhe 3 SsPtdH ow6 9f the fns s eieGe;
was found to be bereft Of his senses. He still
Imagined himself assaulted, and, his condition
became SO bad that II was found necessary to
remove him 70 the Government Hospital for
the Insane, The excitement Of the fight made
him a maniac and there is little hope OF his re-
coyery.
DIR. W. W. Godding. superintendent OF the
Wilmer. have made a close study OF the pa
tients under them. and their opinion is, that
the majority, OF cases are from melancholia
produced by Inconsistencies. In many cases OF
melancholia. the patient has suicidal tenden-
cies; This is true OF a young man from. the
Ing. He Would sit for h hours at 4 time With
Watching at first to prevent him from carry
Ing out his purpose to commit suicide, II was
not until s AFTER severn bis att emp on n ms 81 NE e} tnat
beth's. and now the physicians say he is slight
IT, improved. When he first came to the hos
When his wife visited him. he was able to con.
verse with her nationally. She wanted to take
such a course. and finally sent for the patient
himself Ifs 10 When SaniTs9 asked about his wishes in the
II am well cared for here and feel better. SO
I think ! had better stay a while longer"
Later I'm in the EVENING m n ! the W wife ted the ply
ton beneficial organization and wanted to
know If she could not get benefits while he
anxious about a pension. and wanted to be in
formed If she was not entitled to a pension In
view of her husbands condition. 1t SO hap
pened. though, that only a few days before o
friend Of the man had called to see him and
had given the Information that they had
worked together in the same railroad COM
pany's yards. This was Just before the mans
enlistment, and the doctor. having some in
side information. replied to the wife that II
she applied for a pension he would feel II his
duty to inform the Government that her hus-
band had been knocked off a train before his
enlistment and had had his head injured.
Another case OF interest is that Of a soldier
in the regular army, 1t was his third enlist
going South, he slipped and fell under the car.
had to he amputated and the operation and
shock caused him to become insane.
The physicians expect that many patients
will come to them from among the men who
have had typhoid fever. These having been
weakened by illness. their mental balance is
more liable to be upset. 1t is only a question
of time before they will be sent to st. Eliza
recently in one Of the Brooklyn hospitals says
that q regular army man was under treatment
there for typhoid fever. He had really recov-
cred from the fever. but it had left him in
sane. and he had to be held In bed at times.
He imagined that he was at the battle OF San
Juan and would constantly cry out:
They are chargingl Give me my gunl |
must go up the HILL / must get TO the topl"
Physicians at the insane asylum say that
Immediate insanity, 1t may have That effect In
after years. Thus men who went through
the civil war without any apparent mental
trouble are now turning up insane. The
strain OF army life and battle Is having It's ef-
feet after more than. thirty years. AS the