The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-02-24

u s NANNY ~ w N'' '"''
HO0( 10 the fact that the re-
wards Of proficiency are great. Fresh
in the minds of All u the recent case
OF "A professions beggar IN the city OF
London whose voluntarily pareuc
limbs stirred up The lively compassion
OF the passersby, even of the poor, 50
that charitable gifts flowed into his
ready palm.
This case has excited some little
attention. chiefly because the police
have prosecuted him successfully. but,
says the Lancet. he is only one Of very
many.
IL Is. however. IL connection with
the naval and military services mat
the art Of mslingery finds It's chief
rxsOnents. Indeed the word "mslin-
ger" was first applied 70 the attempts
OF soldiers 10 evade ardnous or un-
pleasant duty. IT is of interest to
notice the difference that exists be
tween countries IN which conscriptlon
prevails aud those in which only vol
untary service exists. In The former
the most strenuous exertiOns are
aud since most deformities disqualify
for admission, recruits, or rather those
VINO were liable 10 serve III the army,
have not hcsitated 10 intiict on them
selves the most severe injuries IN order
10 AVOID service.
III IN" days when Il was necessary
for a soldier 10 bite of the end 0t the
cartridge in loading his musket il was
40 uncommon event FOR a man 10 have
one or more teeth extracted or HE'D
down 50 rs 10 obtain exemption. IN
couuirie, such a. our own at the pres
ent time. where vOlunt9ry service eI-
lists. we are more likely 10 find appll-
cants for enlistment who attempt 10
hide diseases. IN all countries, how
ever. many soldiers. whether they have
been called to the service by conscrlp-
ton or have entered Il voluntarily,
earnestly desire 10 leave il. There -
an old tale, in al probability true,
that Illustrates well the trouble that
such man VIII take 10 escape from
military service. A soldier was seized
with paralysis of the right arm; the
loss of power came on suddenly ana
without obvious cause. MaiingerlnG
was suspected. but all the efforts oi the
surgeon of the regiment was unaNai!-
ing; DO proof could he obtained that
the paralysis was felgned. The man
was examined by two medical boards
and ultimately be was given MS dis
charge. As he went off from Tie bar
racks on the top Of the coach at was IL
The day, harore railways, he waved
a hearty aUOdby q his comrades Win
his paralyzed arm.
Probably the best example of the per-
severance which men will display in
the attempt Ia leave a service which
they detest j. 10 be found la case
under the care Of Cline. The patient
was sailor i'm the British navy, and
il is worthy Of note that lie was a
pressed" man. He fell on his head
and n slight depression OF the skull
was produced. lie Immediately he
came unconscious and all efforts 10
rouse him failed. lie lay quietly IN
his hammock and never moVCG. ="
seemed deaf Ia all sounds ana az no
time uttered any word lie was able
10 swallow food. both solid ana Gqutd,
and indeed be made signs with his lips
and tongue when he wanted nourish-
lucut. He was brought back to Eng
land bet 10 improvement followed
and ia. 'uuCOi ,viousneSs' lasted Tor
thirteen months Then il was resolved
10 raise the depressed portion OF the
bore. FLAPS were made. a trephlnC
was applied ana the bone was cut
through An elevator was then intro
duced 20 raise the bone. ana al the
bone was lifted up consciousness sud
denly returned 20 the pauent and be
smoke. At the time Of the operation
most of The uuioJkccs accepted the case
as genuine. hut 40 one would nova
DAYS venture 20 support the idea that
The uat,cut really lay unconscious for
thirteen mouths. Suddenly reGaining
consciousness on removal Of the de
pressed hone There can Oc no doubt
that the man was malinger and
adopted this arduous method of ieaV-
ug a service into which be had been
forced
The amount ~ pain and discomfort
which malingerers are willing 20 en-
dure 10 obtain their discharge is al
most incredible, Int the facts are wei
attested A limb has been held in 4
fixed position for many months. and
not even the appli alton of the actual
cautery has sutiiced 10 move it. Many
men have chopped off some fingers
and have claimed that II was an acct
dent Mental arrangement of one sort
or another is favorite form of mahn-
gerry hut the results usually resemble
/ the popular or stage idea of insanity
rather than the true products Of mental
| alienation. IL Is not uncommon Tor
! the malingerer 10 combine two forms
/ of insanity. and this may he Of Nalu,
! in detection. Still IL is often very dim
\ cult 10 be certain that patient i
Shamminc. There are. however, some
phenomena which cannot Se simulat
ed. IL is impossible for sane maT
10 initiate successfully the persisten'
/ insomnia which often occurs in th'
insane; the imposier cannot put of
.leep beyond the second or third day.
Another frequent motive FOR maiiu
I cering is 10 attract attention not 20
the purpose Of obtaining money IN
merely 10 gain notice. Simulated join
affections are not rare and there ar
many other forms. These cases mers
imp-rceptibly into hystcria, and IN