Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-31
HIT
AS POPULAR FANCY
BY WORLD DOCTORS
Frequent AiIment in War
Not Result of Artillery,
1t Is Decided.
ARMY TACTICS BLAMED
FOR MENTAL DISORDERS
0veremphasized Fears and Separa-
ton of Friends Seen as Cause
of Low Morale in A. E. F.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.


widespread of the popular fallscleS OF
wartime has been spoken by the In
ternational Congress Of Military Medl-
cine and Pharmacy, in which all the
allied nations were represented, which
has Just concluded its meeting at The
Hague. Full reports of the session
have been received by the Public Health
Service, whose delegates attended.
The physicians decided that there
was no specific mental or nervous con-
dition directly attributable to the
effects of artillery fire. The fight
against further acceptance Of the pop
ular term was led by American Army
and reserve doctors. For long time
it has been in bad repute among
psychiatristS.
The word itself, the Congress was told
by Col. w. F. Lorenz, professor OF psy-
chiatry at the University of Wisconsin,
who saw active service with troops dur
ing the war, was largely responsible
for the development of some OF the
cases of neurosis which were clasSr1ed
as "Shellshock."
Cites ExaggeratiOns.
1.-THE term" he said, carried with
it the inference of having been under
FIRE, of having faced danger and full
filled a military duty. The severe
character of modern artillery fire was
common knowledge and was broadcast
through the land by sometimes ex-
aggerated statements in the press. This
created an expectancy and nelpeo
formulate the generally held belief that
mere proximity to an exploding shell
would damage and wound soldier IN
some manner. ShellSnocK was
promptly accepted as q proper casualty
- garuad O hnnNTahlp
and acceptable wound. The euphony
of the term was attractive. The sub
seouent effort to Offset the psychology
created by the term came too late TO
be effective. Had this been anticipated
it is very probable that large number
of casualties from this cause would
have been prevented.
"A very poor training technique was
exemplifed in the preparation OF
American military forces. Many lee
lures were given to the troops regard
ing gas and training in the use OF the
gas mask was very much emphasized.
The soldier was deeply impressed with
the potency of this weapon. Horrors
were deliberately created which now we
all know we're entirely unjustif1ed.
Such training planted in the soldiers
mind certain fears which far out
weighed its usefulness. 1t made the
troops mentally less able to meet the
conditions of modern warfare.
BIames Hysteria.
Easily so per cent of the psyche
neuroses which developed near or at
the front might be termed gas
hysteria.' At the sounding Of gas
alarm fearful anxiety would develop
acutely. II one now adds to this stu
alton a mind in which the belief has
been planted by training that one could
be gassed seriously and yet not be i'm
me6iately aware Of such injury. and the
final factor that injury would serve
as an honorable and acceptable escape
from this intolerable situation one has
a typical state Of mind for the develop
ment of psycho-neurosis.
"a state of mind is being prepared
at present which will bear fruit In
righteousness If we find ourselves IN
another war. I refer to the frequently
mentioned death ray This fantastic,
mysterious and powerful agency, 1t Is
claimed, will annihilate thousands by
an fundamentally miles and miles
away. Such news Is fruitful for the
psvcho-neuroses Of the future. The
neuroses of the last war were mental
reactions to situation Of stress and
modern warfare is much more prone to
bring out or cause such casualties be-
cause of the mechanical agencies and
tremendous destructiveness. One might
Justify the prophecy that future wars
will find more nervous casualties
among the combatants than pure
physical agencies"
Just Needed Rest.
In front lines, DR. Lorenz said, many
nh oyhancfinT1
labeled "shellshock'' and evacuated
All they needed was a short rest. In
his own division, he said the first &C
tive engagement produced more than
IN times the number of "shellshocks'
AS did far heavier fighting later, because
those with weakened nervous systems
quickly eliminated themselves.
The American Army, he said, was
more subject to the mental and nervous
condition which was called shell
! shock" because the soldiers were so faI
| from home "a wide and angry ocean,
he said, separated them from their
loved ones. A furlough was not pos
| sible and they were robbed OF the pros
pect of seeing relatives and friends &C.
casionally at least. They experienced
none of the support that comes from
the hero worship of those left behind
Nostalgia Cor homesickness) was pres
emf in ali, even though it was not
frankly expressed. Furthermore, the
absence of q simple and easily grasped
reason for war operated to the d1Sad-
vantage of the American soldiers. He
did not know what it was all ABOUT. He
aid not have some simple and personal
reason to hate the enemy. He was not
being attacked and could not by any
nrocess of reasoning within his scope
IF knowledge regard his presence In
EUROPE as defending his home and fire-
side The fear enjoined by his situa-
ton had no outlet in anger or hate
Anger serves so well to sublimate fear
and this unconscious means OF meeting
an emotional conflict was more or less
denied him"
Hits Army Policy.
| Dr Iorenz also protested against
the policy followed in building up the
| American Army during the World Wal
| nv which regiments were made up OF
| individuals from different parts Of the
| country. The basis of this policy, ne
| Explained, probably was to keep up the
| morale at home. If q unit suffered
exceptionally heavy casualties the Loss
would be so spread out that 1t woulc
| cause no widespread reaction. Nc
| single village would get news that nal
its boys had been killed in action. :,
But, he declared, IAN individual VII
! preserve his morale much better II NJ
Is associated with others that come
from his own locality. The ties OF COM
nnunity or district relationship Will sup
port him through many trials. be-
] ieVe that many psyche neurotlcs oe'
yeloped In the American ExpediuonarS