The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-03-15

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1g0W to the fact that the re-
wards Of proficiency are great Fresh
in the minds OF all is the recent case
Of a professional beggar in the city OF
London whose voluntarily paretic
limbs stirred up the lively compassion
of the passersby, even of the poor so
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.
1t is, however. in connection with
the naval and military services that
the art Of malingery finds its chief
exponents. Indeed, the word 'malin-
gcrp was first applied to the attempts
Of soldiers to evade arduous or un-
pleasant duty. 1t is Of interest TO
notice the difference that exists be
tween countries in which conscription
prevails and those in which only vol
untary service exists. In the fcrmer
the most strenuous exertlons are
sometimes made to escape service,
and since most deformities disqualify
for admission. recruits, OF rather those
who were liable to serve in the army,
have not hesltated to infict on them
selves the most severe injuries in order
to avoid service.
ti,o T,.~c .x~f,o,1 tvnc rQrncCQTy
for a soldier to bite off the end Of the
cartridge in loading his musket it was
no uncommon event for -ran to have
one or moe teeth extracted or filed
down SO as to obtain exemption. In
countries such as our own at the pres
ent time, where voluntary service ex-
lists, we are more likely to find appli-
cants fc. enlistment who attempt to
hide diseases. In all countries, how
ever, many soldiers, whether they have
been called to the service by conscr1p-
ton or have entered it voluntarily,
earnestly desire to leave it. There is
an old tale, in all probability true,
that illustrates well the trouble that
such a nan will take to escape from
military service. A soldier was seized
with paralysis of the right arm; the
loss of power came on suddenly and
without obvious cause. Malingering
was suspected. ls,t all the efforts Of the
surgeon Of the regiment was unavail-
ing: no proof could be obtained that
the paralysis was feigned. The man
was examined by two medical boards
and ultimately he was given his dis
charge. AS he went off from the bar
racks on the top OF the coach lit was in
the days before railways, he~waved
hearty goodby to his comrades with
his paralyzed arm.
Probably the best example Of the per
severance which men will display in
the attempt TO leave a service which
they detest is to be found in case
under the care of Cline. The patient
was a sailor in the British navy, and
it is worthy of note that he was a
pressed" man. He fell on his head
and a slight depression of the skull
was produced. He Immediately be-
came unconscious and all efforts to
rouse him failed He lay quietly in
his hammock and never moved. He
seemed deaf to all sounds and at no
time uttered any word. He was able
to swallow food, both solid and liquid,
and indeed he made signs with his lips
and tongue when he wanted nourish-
ment. He was brought back to Eng
land, but no Improvement followed
and the -unconsciousness" lasted for
thirteen months Then 1t was resolved
to raise the depressed portion Of the
bone. Flaps were made, trephine
was applied and the bone was cut
through. An elevator was then intro
duced TO raise the bone, and as the
bone was lifted up consciousness sud
denly returned to the patient and he
spoke. At the time of the operation
most Of the onlookers accepted the case
as genuine. but no one would nova
days venture to support the idea that
the patient really lay unconscious for
thirteen months, suddenly regaining
consciousness on removal of the de-
pressed bone. There can be no doubt
that the man was malinger and
adopted this arduous method of leav-
ing a service Sto which he had heen
forced.
The amount Of pain and discomfort
which malingerers are willing to en-
dure to obtain their discharge is al
most incredible, but the facts are well
attested. A limb has been held in a
fixed position for many months. and
not even the application Of the actual
cautery has sufficed to move it. Many
men have chopped off some fingers
and have claimed that 1t was an acci-
dent. Mental arrangement of one sort
or another is favorite form of malln-
gerry, but the results usually resemble
the popular or stage idea of insanity
rather than the true products Of mental
alienation. 1t is not uncommon for
the malingerer to combine two forms
Of insanity, ana this may be Of value
in detection. Still it is often very diff
cult to be certain that a patient il
shamnmg. There are. however. s5me
phenomena which cannot be simulat-
ed. 1t is impossible for a sane man
to initiate successfully the persistent
insomnia which often occurs in the
insane; the imposter cannot put of