The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-22
HOW MEN SHAM DISEASES.
NOTABLE INSTANCES AMONG SOL
DIERS AND SAILORS.
Efforts OF BeEEars 10 Appeal to the 'har''a'
HE Securing Rest and Treatment III
Hospltals-Fatal Self.imposed inJuri"
Not Easy TO Detect hailnserihs'

The art of shamming disease has reached
a high level OF perfection This Is manly
70 be attributed 10 the fact that the rewards
Of proficiency are great. Fresh IN the
minds of all is the recent case of pro-
fe..ional beggar in the city OF London whose
voluntarily paretic limbs stirred mp the
lively compassion of the passerSoy' even
Of tho poor 80 that charitable gifts flowed
into his ready palm
Thi. case has excited some little atten-
ton. chiefly because the police have prose
cited him successfully, but says the
Lnrfct' he is only one Of very many
II ia. however, In connection with the
naval and military services that the art oi
malineery finds IT. chief exponent5 In
deed. the word -malinger" was first APP
piled 10 the attempts Of soldiers TO eNade
arduous or unpleasant duty. II Is OF M
tere-i 10 notice the difference that exists
hetw cen countries in which conNcription
prevails and those in which only voluntary
service exists In the former the most
strenuous exertions are sometimes made
"a escape service. and since most deiormlues
disnualifv for admission. recruits. or rather
those y, no we're liable to serve IN the army,
have not he-itated To inAict on themselves
the most severe injuries IN order TO avoid
service.
In the day= when it was necessary for a
soldier to bite on tho end of the cartridge
i'm loading his musket il was no uncommon
event for "A man to have one or more teeth
extracted or filed down 80 a. To Obtain
exemption. IN countries such a. our own
~ the present time, whore voluntary ser
vice exists. we are more likely 10 iiud an
uiicant- for enlistment who attclhptto hide
diseases. In an countries. however many
SOLDIER. whether they have been called 10
the service 10y conscriptlon or have en-
tered 10 voluntarily. earnestly desire 20
leave H. There II an old tale. IN al prob
ability true that illustrates vol the trouble
which such man viii take 10 escape from
military service soldier was seized
with paraly-i- Of tho right arm, the loss Of
power came on suddenly and without OBJ
yious cause Malngerlng was suspected.
hut an the efforts Of the surgeon 81 the
regiment were upavaiinF no proof could
ho obtained that th" paralysis was feigned
The man was examined by two medical
boards and ultimately he was given his
discharge As he went of from the bar
racks on tn top Of the coach on was, IN
the days before railways. he waved a
hearty goodhv To his comrades with his
uaralvznd arm.
Probably the best example 81 The pcrse-
verance which men will display IN the
attempt 20 leave service winch they
detest II 10 hc found in = case under the
IN the British Navy and II il worthy OF
note that he was a pressed man. He
iell on his head and a slight depression OF
the skull was produced He immediately
became uncou-cloU7 and all s1ort- O.
rouse him failed He lay quietly ~ hi-
hammock and never moved. lie seemed
deaf TO all sound, and at no time uttered
any wore He was able 10 swallow food
both solid and liquid. and indeed he made
signs with his lips and tongue when he
wanted r punishment He sa- brought back
10 England but no Improvement FOLLOWED
and tho nconstiousuc-- lasted for thr'
teen months Then IL was resolved e
raise the depressed portion Of the bone
Flaps were made, a trephine was applied
and the bone Wa cut through An elevator
was then introduced 90 raise tho bone, ant
as the bone was lifted up consciousness
suddenly returned 10 the patIpnt and h'
spoke At the time Of the operation mos
81 the onlookers accepted the case as Renu
inc. but no one would nowadays venture
90 support the idea thai the patient reallN
Law uucoSscious for thirteen months sud