Evening star., 1942-02-14
Of Stars, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
BIZ Thomas r. Henru.

By Thomas r. Henry.
Bombed children show hitherto un-
known type Of nerve upset.
It Is entirely distinct. claim British psy-
biologists who have Just discovered it,
from the war neurosis Of adults
The new syndrome has been de-
scribed in detail by DR.. w. e. r. Mons
psychologist to the war hostels for difIi-
cult children. in the latest issue OF the
British Medical Journal to arrive here.
When an adult shows psychotic symp-
toms after an air raid or after exposure
in battle, DR.. Mons says, 1t now is gen.
orally agreed that there was an unstable
personality at the start. Fairly normal
persons endure the shock well unless the
personal loss is immeasurable.
But the thousands Of children who are
showing the new reaction are entirely
normal. If they are not they show
quite different reaction, similar to that
of the neurotic adults.
The condition became apparent with
the first air raids over London, says
DR.. Mons.
Previously, good and intelligent chill
dren suddenly became obstreperous, mis-
chievous, destructive and mentally lazy
Although they had good school records
before. teachers in the areas to which
they were evacuated doubted whether
they were mentally normal There was
a strange inability to occupy themselves
during free periods. They seemed to fear
the responsibility of making decisions.
They cannot stick at anything more
than few minutes"
The condition was more frequent, he
points out in children from better homes
Children Of dock workers seemed more
immune. 1t became necessary to put
many of the victims in special hostels
clue to the condition, DR.. Mons says,
now has been found through use of the
familiar ink blot test of psychiatrists. A
person is asked to tell what number of
meaningless ink blots signify to him
Persons with unstable nervous systems
tend to make quite different responses
from those given by normal individuals.
been classified by psychologists.
Adults who went to pieces after air
raids showed the typical neurotic re-
sponse. So did few of the children.
But the majority, the British examiners
found, gave responses that were quite
different from the neurotic as well as
from the normal-a pattern hitherto un-
classified.
The condition is probably caused, says
DR.. Mons, by the abrupt transition from
security to extreme insecurity and dis
illusionment.
The average child up to the age OF
about 10, he says. has been conditioned
to feel complete security in the home.
The parents are omnipotent and there
is nothing they cannot protect him
against.
He may have heard from playmates of
death and suffering, but to him they
have no personal meaning. Other chill
dren may debut his father will not
let him die.
The transition from this attitude to-
ward life usually is gradual Only over
several years does the idea of the fathers
omnipotence break down bit by bit.
The bombed child undergoes the transit
tion In few horrible moments.
The realization that his father can do
nothing about the enemy planes overhead
and the falling bombs Is too much for
the young mind to endure
But, says Dr. Mons. the condition re-
spends quickly to psychological treatment
and need not cause any permanent
damage to the personality If it is rec
ognized and inteligently handled
The lesson from the experience, he
says, is that 1t Is unwise to expose chill
dren to single air raid-not so much
because Of the physical danger involved,
but because Of the nerve -shattering dis
illusion.
1t is the strongest argument, he be-
leves, for keeping youngsters in the
country.
American doctors at Pearl Harbor had
their first introduction to new types Of
wounds OF the brain caused by the fast
flying missiles Of the present war.
Shattered skull bone and fragments Of
metal were buried deep in the brain
itself and brain substance was lacerated
over a much larger area than seemed
justified by the size Of the missiles.
Yet, surprisingly, most of the wounded
men. except those so seriously injured
that they were dying when brought to
the hospital, were saved by the surgeons
and now appear well on the way to re-
covery. In many cases powdered sulfa
drugs were introduced directly into the
brain to ward off the dreaded meningitis
which frequently has attended head in
juries in the past.
A report on the situation has Just been
made to the American Medical Associa-
ton by DR.. Ralph B. Cloward, Honolulu
brain surgeon. who treated many of the
cases. Most interesting was the condi-
ton Of the patients whose brains had
been traversed by these fast-f1ying mis-
siles and in some cases terribly mutilated.
Few" says DR.. Cloward, were brought
to the receiving station in an uncon-
scious state. The majority had not even
been unconscious, but were able to recall
everything that had transpired from the
time they we're hit until they arrived at
the hospital. Patients with large gaping
wounds Of the frontal areas, with con-
siderable quantities of brain tissue oozing
from the wounds, were found to be con-
scious. cooperative, rational and able to
give their identification"
). Experimental work Of the past few
wears has shown, he saws that loss Of