Evening star., 1943-10-01
Physicians Told
How Axis Plays
Allied Minds
Mental Hazards to
Soldiers Described
At D. c. PorIey

At y. I. Farley
In this war our enemies "hav'
utilized a complex program, care
fully devised for its devastating eff.
feet upon the minds of their oppo.
nents, both civilian and military,
Col. Roy D. Halloran of the Army
Medical Corps told the 18th annua
scientific assembly of the Distric,
Medical Society at the Mayflowel
Hotel today.
This is truly psychological war;
fare Col. Halloran pointed out
with its obvious hazards to mental
stability. 1t seems logical, therefore
that in the present war the mental
health of soldiers is fully as i'm
portant as the physical"
Col Halloran in his address on
"NeuropSychiatric Problems in the
Army pointed to the nerve
racking strategy of rumor, rapid
movement, surprise and skillful
teamwork of mechanical ground, air
and sea units"
This global war presents the
armed services with an unprece-
dented opportunity for the better
understanding of human behavior. "
Difficult War Problem
Col. Halloran, who in civil life is
professor of clinical psychiatry at
Tufts Medical College, told the doc
tors that disorders in the field of
nervous and mental instability fur
niShed one of the most serious and
difficult problems of the war
Pointing to the fact that approxi-
mately one-third of all those re-
jected under selective service had
been classed as neuro- -psychiatric
he explained that this classification
did not mean mental disorder.
"Suchk a rejection" he said,
should carry no stigma. 1t simply
means that the man is not consid-
cred adaptable to military life. He
can and should carry on his civilian
activity, where he can be more use
full than in the Army"
A much smaller percentage is
found psychotic, or mentally dis
ordered, he indicated. But even
under the most careful screening"
at induction centers and training
camps, he added. certain number
of those unable TO adjust themselves
to life in the armed forces will re-
main undetected and are apt to
crack under the stress of combat.
Nervous Breakdowns.
An exhaustive study in the Brit
ish forces, he reported, showed that
the most common cause of nervous
breakdown was breaking up a SOL
dier's family.
The man who breaks down in
training is poor risk at the front .
Col. Halloran pointed out.
Praising the morale-promoting
services of the Army, Col Halloran
said there was reason to believe that
soldiers who know what they are
for are less apt to suffer
nervous breakdoWnS than those who
have no conception of what the war
is about. "a
Shock, which may cause even
slight injury to take grave turn, is
claiming few lives in this war, Dr.
Robert V. Funsten. professor of
orthopedics at the University Of Vir-
ginia department of medicine, told
the assembly.
More efficient methods of deal
ing with shock have been developed.
DR. Funsten explained, and wound
ed men who can be reached prompt
ly usually respond to this treat
ment. 1t consists of administering
blood plasma, if the shock is severe,
sedatives and complete rest.
In the case OF fractures, he said,
If there is serious shock, it is best
to sprinkle sulfa preparation on
any open wound, to immobilize the
broken parts, and do nothing more
until the patient can be taken 10
a surgical station.
Few Shocks Prove Fatal.
"All fractures" DR.. FunSten said.
"are accompanied by some degree of
shock, but few cases of shock are
fatal under present methods of
treatment
He added that all compound frac-
lures must be considered potentially
infected and dealt with accordingly
1t. Col. B. N. Garter of the Army
Surgeon Generals office said de-
velopment of toxoid to prevent gas
gangrene from wounds was under
way. He told the assembly that the
preventive still was in the expert
mental stage He indicated that it
was similar in composition to anti
tetanus serum.
Col. Carter said that mortality
among all wounded in this war al
ready has been reduced to Just
about half what it was in the First
World War"
The second day of the scientific
assembly brought papers today on
the general theme of Wartime
Medical Problems"
DR.. Parran on Program.
DR.. Thomas Parran, surgeon gen.
eral of the Public Health Service,
was scheduled to read a paper at
the afternoon session on "Pandemic
Influenza" Another feature on the
program was to be talk by Capt.
Juanita Redmond of the Army Nurse
Corps on Nursing Experience on
Bataan."
House Minority Leader Martin will
address public meeting at $50 pm.
His subject will be America Must
Not Be Shackled." Sessions will
continue tomorrow.
Among the scientific exhibits, wide
interest has been aroused by the
tuberculosis display put on CO.
operatively by the Public Health
Service, the District Bureau of
tuberculosis and the District Tuber-
culosis Association
DR.. Willis c. Beasley of the Public
Health Service is showing a new roll
film technique for use in mass
X-raying, The film is larger than
those currently used and allows
more effective diagnosis, yet it is
not expensive, he explained.
Railway EmpIoye, 18,