New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-01
MEN AND WOMEN WHO FEIGN DISEASE
HOSPITALS AND PHYSICIANS HAVE TO BE CON
ST4NTLY ON. GUARD AGAINST MALINGERERS.

than in any other walk OF lie. he said II Va
did not use the most severe methods to discourse,
the practice our army hospitals would be fun Ia
entire time
"At Camp Meade. In 1899. were organizing
regiment OF raw recruits for duty IN the Philic.
pines There was no end to the drilling and Wors
to be done. Many of the new men were sick and
tired Of their enlistment and We had the guard
house fun Of takers. There was one straDping bis
fellow who could not be kept away from sick can
He feigned rheumatism and did 1t well Finally
took him into my operating room
You have terrible case, said and We mus,
use drastic Methods little counter irritation wiu
do the work. I think
Then I brought out my paquelin cautory and
began to heat it up on the table before him.
What are you going TO do with thatF he de-
handed forgetting for the moment TO tWitch VITA
feigned pain.
I'm going to scar your back. to bring out tbs
rheumatism
amt going stand for no burning, he
whimpered. I don't want it,
'@fOf course you don't. but it is coming to you
Just the same I mOtiOned two men to hold him
and took up the cautery did not really burn
him. Just touched the skin with the point tins
or two.
He Strengthened up after moments struggle
with himself I'm cured, major he cried. You
needn't burn no more
THAT fellow went back 70 his drill and IN s1
months was a sergeant with a record for bravery
and hard work that few men In the regiment could
that burning you gave me made soldier out Of
a dub"
1.-THE best hospital cook ever had was the worst
coward I've ever seen. He simply could not facs
a scrap. He seized with strange vomiting
spells before we started for the firing line. was
not suspicious and left him in the hospital after
seeing that he would have every attention There
came another scrap. and another spell OF vomiting.
I was suspicious When the one followed the other
a third time sure. Investigation showed he
had brought on the attack each time by swallow
ing mustard gave him strong injection Of
apomorphins and then did have SPELL What
little the drug left OF him told Just how
tiers stood, and had more trouble.
"a soldier who is caught maIngering 90 get
out OF a fight receives no consideration usually
gave them what the regiment knew as the big
talk I told them IN Unmistakable English what
cOwardly ours they were. ] explained that they
were not worth shooting but that they had better
go out and do the best they could 20 get snot.
which was their only hope OF salvation"
Over on Blackwells Island the sick call Is at
$50 and not morning passes that some would-bs
maltngerer Is not detected and hustled back to
work II there's any doubt IN the surgeons mind
the case Is put to work anyway, the principls
that some definite symptom viii appear shortly.
1t Is seldom that really clever scheme Is worked
on the island, dizzy headaches and palpitationa
being the favOrite excuses.
Dr. Andrew H Smith. or the faculty OF the Post
Graduate Medical School. had much experiences
with maligners in the Civil War. Many soldiers
deafness great number were caught mapping
by apparently dismissing them with quiet Very
well. you may 60" which they heard and acted
upon with promptness that exposed them
Blindness Is often alleged for the same reason II
remember one case which came under my observa-
ton during the Civil War" said DIT. Smith. '+whers
a man claimed exemption from service on the
ground that he was totally blind in one eye In
order to test the accuracy OF his statement sud
denly made movement toward the eye with the
point OF a penknife. The did not finch. as
expected he would do. and I narrowly escaped in
turing the eye. believe to this day that the case
it"
About New-YOrk the most frequent cause Of
malngering is desire TO get damages from some
corporation The doctors and claim agents in the
service OF corporations Ike the marlborough and
Brooklyn Rapid Transit companies might be called
maAngertng experts. Even they are fooled at times
BY cases OF which they are suspicious but without
PROOF After damages have been settled recovery is
often most rapid. and a corporation check has
come TO be rated remarkable curative agent.
The most successful malingerer OF whom New
York physicians have ever heard was one MofFatt
who worked over seventy schemes, sons OF them
with great profit He could produce most dreadful
looking injuries BY bandaging his limb and pound
ing It. He carried with a screwdriver end
With this he would loosen the iron plate on the
outside step OF car, fall and claim serious In
jury. MoRatt said he always employed the best
physicians. because, while their bills wsrs large
they were easiest fooled.
DR.. Bryan De Forest sheedy tells OF a case OF
malingertng in connection with an alleged hin FONT
injury to a woman. She had the heel OF one shoe
ouilt up three and One-haIf inches. Long continued
wearing actually produced all the signs OF injury
about the hip She gave history OF neuritis fol-
lowing an accident and brought suit for SIS 900 dam
ages She would probably have won a substantial
Judgment II her physician had not confessed, which
caused the case to be thrown out OF court
Accident insurance companies have to be con-
stantly on guard against maIingerers. Their IN
spectors ind the OF ether valuable as a detect
Ing agent especially IN cases OF alleged muscular
injury.
A type OF ualingsring with which city hospitals
are most familiar IS that OF an old man with an
Old fracture OF the patella He applies for adnIs-
sion Just before the evening meal and 'skps after
breakfast, before the house surgeon has had a
chance TO examine him thoroughly. There are q
good many "faAirs'' floating about who can throw
the patella out OF position who resort to II in
order to get into a hospital for a few DAYS rest
and board The lower Jaw can likewise be dis
located BY some subjects. and this may be re-
sorted TO Tor the same reason. Many come to the
hospital with the history OF a disease with which
they familiar and are taken III FOR otser,, oT,
It takes few days to determlne whether o- not
tney arc Ieigning, when they promptly kicked
The free disDensaries suffer from, something
CtSseIy 9lned TO malingertng IN cases OF women
WIG really imagine there is something the matter
with them Their stock request Is for cOd liver IN
ana matt and there Is not enough unanufacflres rs
supply the demands which the 5fspensarfas have
Tor II Naturally II IS given only 10 a small ne
eentagS Of those who ask for It,
WEDDING RING ON A SWEET POTATO.
The Rev. J. p Curry. pastor of the First Pressy-