New-York tribune., 1918-01-06

liShed by tne NatioHaA SoiAAniseeo lux
J. Mental Hygiene. Inc, E. Murray
.,.r NJ. D., formerly of the 23d General
uospital, B. E. F., France. writes concern
,nc some Of the nervous and mental condi-
t;ons arising among soldiers. His illuini-
,sting article follows. in part:
~rbrouch the efforts of the leaders in the
..,av of the human mind we are coming to
like that the individual reacts no more
,oS,cally to his environment than his men,
.ss:.r nreyious education and surroundings
~arid warrant. The results of such realiza-
.:nr are seen in the modern attitude of So
.;..v toward the criminal and the mentally
;.canacitased. In the great European war
t.-a it NAV be seen behind the battle line in
~. nresence of men versed in neurology and
asrchatry. in the provision made in the hos
n;tals for nervous and mental cases. and in
.,e medical boards appointed for the con-
s;deration of such individuals as may have
taled in their duty through some abnormal
uental manifestation.
"The large number of cases of mental dis
orders. functional and organic, makes neces
.arv the presence of q physician trained to
make thorough studies of and successfully
.,eat mental cases. This requires patience
nd
understanding of the conditions resulting
from, fatigue, worry, fright shock. etc. In
the organic cases, where foreign bodies, such
a. shrapnel have penetrated the nervous It's
sue. the N-ray has proved an invaluable
asset in localizaton, for not infrequently
due 10 more extensive involvement resultant
from hemorrhage and destruction, the neuro-
,ogic symptoms do not correspond exactly
with the site Of the foreign body. il.
~ OMING from his indoor work, the
" average trooper, physically and
morallv improved through the out of-door
life and the activity and routine Of the
fsmp. undergoes metamorphosis on the fir
inc line The fatigue of long marches, ex-
nosure. worry over conditions at home, the
monotonv of trench life, the fear of failing
in his duty in crisis, the morbid antcipa-
ton Of a charge, of the ground opening be-
meath him to engulf him, the fear OF the
.whiz-bang.' 'torpiles' or aluminium shells
that approach noiselessly, while the shock of
their explosion can be felt through a radius
Of about fifty yards, the sights of dcstruc
ton and loss about him-al of these tend
to fan any homeopathic prcdisposition into a
fame.
"As in civil life. with the release of mental
control, thoughts, fears, desires, repressed
to the subconscious, voiced, and the
mental condition is often colored by the pre-
yous or immediate environment. In one case
Of acute maniacal excitement the individual
frequently mentioned the Iron Cross, Red
Cross division, and issued commands. In an
other mental condition precipitated by the
war the individual at the time l saw him
was on his way TO set Lord Kitchener right
about the war traced his heredity from
Cesar down through Napoleon, which, to-
getheY with him being IN rhythmical vibra-
ton with the ethereal waves warranted his
assuming higher military status. Following
burial by mine explosion or the bursting of
a she'll in close proximity, many cases arc
brought in in Il stupor, with no apparent
physical injury or severe psychcal trauma,
as in TIE of a boy Of nineteen years, for
three days under heavy fire, who, being
threatened by his sergeant with court mar
tial for sleeping on sentry, was for ten days
in stuporous condition, was similarly
another who had witnessed his chum blown
to pieces.
"Not infrequently in these cases episodes
occurred when the terrified expression,
crouchng, starting and staring wildly when
spoken to, could not but impress one that
the Individual was again living through a
terrifying experience. One man with pro-
found stupor arose in his bed during the
night rected in q one-sided conversation his
entire experience in a charge and burial and
then rclapsed into stuporous state. Tremor
and shaking were commonly seen, as in the
case of a patient who was buried in mine
explosion on July 19 at Hooge, and again,
cd Augr~ss 10, at Hill 60. At neither time
was he rendered unconscious, but he was
badly frightened and his arms and legs
shook. On August 10 mine blew up the
trench in which he was stationed and he was
partially buried. and feared himself killed,
but ne struggled out of the debris and dashed
on into the taken trenches, which were un-
der heavy bonlbardment for eight hours. In