Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-30

never observed before. Men have been driven blind,
in other peculiar ways.
Many Of these injuries were due to the bursting OF
big shells in the vicinity OF the men, njuriug them
vsibly, but causing dsintegration the nerve end
ings and other parts of the system but others
we're due 10 the gases.
The Germans at the beginning of the war had
supply OF colossal 42.cenmetre field guns (about hf
teen inches). and It is reported that they are
using seventeen Inch guns The shells OF these
weapons on striking the ground make a hole
thirty feet deep and ninety feet in circumference
causing death to all who within certain dis
lance OF their crushing, devastating wind
Abundant evidence has been received OF the
strange and unusual diseases caused by the novel and
deriish weapons Of this war DR.. Charles S. Myers.
OF the British Army Medical Corps. attached the
Duchess OF Wesminster's Hospital at LIE Touquet
France, has published study Of the remarkable ef-
fects produced by shell shock soldiers under his
care. Ills report has excited much discussion among
doctors.
One of DR.. Myerss patients. private aged twenty.
told him that he had rather been enjoying it, and
was In the best OF spirits up to the moment the shells
burst about him.
In order to get away he had to crawl under wire
entangements and In doing 30 he became hooked. At
this moment she'll burst just in front OF him and
another behind him, Finally he managed to get into
trench. He found 1t hurt him to open his eyes and
they burned when closed He was seized with shv.
ering and cold broke out especially around the
lons He says the she'll behind him was like punch
on the head without any pain after it,"
He kept crying and shivering at the hospital and
worrying whether he going blind. He had been in
the field two months before this accident and had
slept badly, having toothsche and pains In the back
Under treatment his general physical condition rapid
ly improved. but all the nervous pecuares OF she'll
shock persisted He could hardly with his left
eye, although he had good sight before the accident
He reported that strong solution OF salt gave no
taste his tongue and that very strong solution OF
sugar only slightly sweet Carbolic acid, ether.
strong peppermint and iodine gave smell to him.
At the end Of four months OF treatment his nervous
symptoms had nearly disappeared.
Another patient q corporal aged twenty-five, was
In trench when shell burst within two yards of
him without causing any wound The first thing he
noticed that he could hardly see. 1t should be
noted that this had led fast life" before his
taste very strong solution Of only after he had
moved 1t around on his tongue for some time.
strong solution OF salt, he said, tasted like gasoline
on the hand" He could not recognize yellow. blue
and green, although he had not suffered from color
blindness before his trouble but he could recognize
red.
He could only remember that he was buried I'D to
the neck when the shell fell and that Sergeant Lewis
dug him out. but he could not remember what any
OF the doctors soldiers who handled him after his
rescue had done for him.
Hypnotic treatment tried him with the
object Of restoring his memory. While In the hyp.
motto state he told Of things that had happened
to him after his trouble and questioned about them.
Under the treatment his memory improved consid.
erably
Another man, private aged twenty.three, was blown
of heap OF bricks fifteen feet high owing to she'll
bursting near him. He thinks he fell into pool OF
water he remembers finding himself about five
drenched.. He could not remember how he got into
the cellar anything that happened between that
affected than other He could not
objects at the distance at which he had been
accustomed to them and when looked at nearer
they became blurred. He seemed always on the
point OF aintng felt cold and dizzy and experienced
round and round movement of the stomach"
The slightest touch on the legs provoked spasms