Evening star., 1928-05-15

women who are fighting the battle Of
the mind realize against what terrible
odds they fight; and there is nothing
that gives greater satisfaction than TO
watch those men and women yin their
mental battle and take their places in
the world again on a parity With their
fellow men. Seemingly hopeless cases
can be saved il taken in time
DR.. Lorenz. DR.. Barker. and other
great neuropsychiatric specialists who
are part OF Gen. Hines great medical
advisory council. stated only last week
that 1t was Of the utmost importance
that nervous and severe mental cases
be given disqualification immediately
and without available beds that can
not be done"
Soon after the formation OF the
Veterans Bureau. it was estimated
that. eventually. the bureau would
need hospitals TO the total cost Of
$500, ,000.0 but up to the present
date the total investment has been
only s6e, 900 900.
A feature Of the requirement Of II
new hospitals for mental cases, with
only 3 for general cases and 8 for
tuberculosis patients. is most significant.
Since 1923. the number Of mental
cases to which the bureau is paying
compensation" has increased from
28,256 to March 81. 1929 54,30l-
nearly doubled. In that same period
the tuherculnus patieats receiving COM
pensation" have increased from III i.S5l
to 6o.336-an increase of q per cent.
General diseases have eTown from
1928 TO i3S.6io-an increase of %
per cent tTheSe increases include sd-
missions of veterans Of the Spanish and
Philippine Warsl
Even these figures showing the total
of the three classes OF diseases do not
indicate the greater pFedominance Of
neurotic cases in the hospitals, for, ac-
cording TO the Veterans Bureau rsdi-
cal officers. 1.-The neuropsychiatric cases
do not get we'll as readily as do the
surgical or general cases. and so remain
in hospitals for the rest of their lives
They are cumulative.
In last evenings Star appears this
record Of United States in World War
Ten Years Ago Today: Nothing Is con-
sidered worth labelling an artillery duel
II fewer than 10000 shells in q day are
fred by either side ON front perhaps
two or three miles long Count that
one shell from each side for every foot
of frontage.
There are men-uSually who were not
at the front-who pronounee most
cases of shell shock" as due toTcowarc-
ice or to the psychology Of the victim"
which impelled him TO think Of safe
~ first" in Self-preServation. So he
got the "tremhles" even before he
heard any sound OF battle. That cx-
planatiCn comes in the face Of the
statistics showing that nearly half cf
the veterans who are now receiving
compensation from the Veterans Ru-
reau are either cases popularity known
as shell shock = or are cases OF in
sanity.
some doctors declare that there Is
no such thing as shell shock. bus that
In all such cases the victim VAS prsdlS-
posed 70 mental some
form of inSanity" would have be-
come neuropSychiatric without war.
They have been breaking all
through the decade since the war; the
total number Of patients in Veterans
Bureau Hospitals increases year after
year and the neuropSychiatric cases
in hospitals are increasing more rapid
ly IN hospitals than all other diseases
combined,
There is another explanation Of this
breakdown; 1t is the fererunner OF
Seniltty," The average age ef the vet
eranS OF the World War, selected by
the draft aS being physically ri"
when taken into the Army, II now
IS wears. II they were guilty Of mis-
conduct i'll the war, the physical re-
suit miSht now begin 70 show Its
effects II they were pSychoAoSicaily
nervous, they may have gotten the
"ircmhleS" even before entering the
zone of active hattie,
So, between misconduct and nStural
"cowarciee" for short
some authorities account for most OF
the eases popularity termed shell
shock" which now constitutes the pre-
dominating cause of tcdaSS increase
continue up 20 ieSa Victims Who
have Strasgled along at home or par,
ot the time IN hoSpitalS thruuSh the
decade, ~ last are Sueeanaoing
s0t these doctrines OF the hopeless
ness OF $hell~Shock cases are contra.
Gicted by no leSS authority than Dg
Thomas W, Salmon Of Columbia Uni-
yerSity, who made . study Of shell
shocks In France and England, In the
beginning Of the World War. BEING sent
abroad for that purpose ey the Reckn.
feller Foundation, before We entered
the war, pr, Salmon had charge ct the
entire hospital NStem cf the American
ESpeditionaFy Forces. 10 care tor she'll
shock and other nearopSychiatgie cases
aud he differentiateS sharply between
shell shock and insanity, pointing GUS
that In shell shocks most ef the patsSatS
can be cured, In prior WaHS, doctors
made no distinction between she'll SseeS
and inSanity---S0me da not 60 this CAV,
shell Shaek with insanity,
The most modern doctrines on this
subject are set torth IN a hook entitled
Shell shock and Its Aftermath" ey
pf, Norman Fenten, rh y, who work.
ed with nr, Salmon IN France. srd
whose hook Il pretaced ny the latter.
shell shocks are not hopeless, u prop-
evly heSritalized and scientifically
treated.
teanysssAt 1855 ~ raai " coahnAl