South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-21

Evidently he had become wildly
In dread of the possibility Of bombs
being thrown into the bay of the
trench which he occupied. but he
hadn't even a bruise or a scratch on
him anywhere, and no history could
be obtained Of his having had any
particularly narrow or hair breath
escapes from the explosion of
bomb or seeing any OF his COM
rades blown TO pieces by one.
Now comes the important prac-
teal question: What is to be done
for shell shock. and what is the
prospect for recovery? Obviously
neither Of these questions can be
answered in a sentence, for there
are almost as many different kinds
of shell shock as there are Of
shocked soldiers; while as for treat
ment, some will recover without
anything but a judicious letting
alone. but others will get steadily
worse in spite OF every known and
imaginable treatment
However, certain broad general
lines can perhaps safely be laid
down, always wildly remem boring
that few diseases follow rigid rules,
and that shell shock seems to con-
sist chiefly Of exceptions.
In the first place while recovery
is always slow, the prospects for
regaining a moderate amount Of
comfort and efficiency are fairly
rood in the great majority Of cases.
Naturally there is a vide difference
between the two different classes
Of shell shock patients. Those of the
first class. normal. vigorous men
who have suffered definite physical
violence from explosion or bury
ing, although il may not have actu-
ally broken a bone or visibly mark
ed the surface of their bodies, have
in the nature OF the case much the
may confidently be expected that
two-th:<ds TO three-fourths of them
will get well-all, in fact. except
those who have suffered hem
orrhages or other internal injuries
in their brains or spinal cords.
II must, however be remembered
that there are a good many Dor
der-line cases in which the she'll
burst that actually knocked them
down or stunned them was only the
last finishing touch of a series OF
war-strains both physical and men
tai which had been for some time
breaking down their nervous re
sistance. These, of course, will re-
cover very slowly, and VIII often
have great difficulty in reaching
sufficiently complete recovery Of
balance 70 return TO their posts and
stand up under the same strains
which broke them down before
These are the cases which do best
under strict and prolonged rest in
bed, for a month or more at least.
They need to reaccUmulate the
steady "leakings' of nerve force for
months past. and any exertion
whatever burns UP their slender
savings at once.
Even in the second class of shell
shocks-those urfortunates in
whom the war and its dangers and
strains only slightly fastened the
time Of their breakdown and de-
termined the character of their de-
lusions-the prospects for recovery
are fairly favorable in the majority
OF cases. through this recovery
naturally will seldom be complete
and may not be permanent
There is an exaggerated feeling
of dread and aversion 10 the term
frae nj .r-ff b ~ 30 a IN.
dered the proper acknowledgment
and treatment Of these cases, be
cause il is believed that the mere
use CT the term is equivalent 10 sen
terce Of lifelong incarceration in
an asylum.
So utterly unfOunded is this idea