"SHELL SHOCK"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 79, 28 December 1918, Page 8

"SHELL SHOCK"

REMARKABLE CURES EFFECTED NEW METHOD OF TREATMENT Remarkable developments have occurred in England during the past few montiw in the methods of treating , shell-shock cases amongst soldiers, and.other cases ot neurosis wnich have arisen as the result of war service.' Long-standing and apparently hopeless cases of paralysis, loss of speech or hearing, and other functional nervous diseases, have been cured in a few days—sometimes in a. fewminutes—by purely persuasive treatment and without the aid of hypnotism or electric massage. - General Fctherston, Director-General of Australian Medical Services, visited sevenil of tho large military hospitals during his recent visit to Great Britain, and studied tho methods adopted by some of the foremost medical scientists. lie was impressed by the revolutionary character of the new system of treating cases of war neurosis, and believes that its development after the war will constitute a great advance in medical science. In an interview, General Fetherston described briefly tho work that is being done at the Seale -Hayne Military Hospital at Newton Abbot, in Devon. Major Arthur F- Hurst, the medical officer in charge, is known to many Australians, as he served at Leninos during the Gallipoli campaign. He has changed his name from "Hertz" since the war, explaining when he did so that ho was a member of a. family that had been British for many generations. One of the throe medical officers associated with Major Hurst is Captain W. R. Reynoll, a Soutli Australian Rhodes scholar, who was at Oxford when war was declared.

Major Hurst, has formed the opinion that many of the cases of so-called shell shock are wrongly described. They are more often the result of nervous apprehension, want of sleep, or hardship. Men break down owing to the stress of war of such men shows that nervous instabilwithout the power or tho desire to overcome the malady. He has found that in nearly every instance the family history of such men shows that nervous insability has previously existed. "Intc-nsivo moral treatment" is the term used to describe the method instituted by Major Hurst. From the inoii'»nr tl'e patii-nt enters the hospital lie finds himself in nn atmosphere of extreme optimism. Doctors, nurses, and members of the staff are sanguine that a cure will be effected, nnd this spirit of hopefulness is transferred to the patient. The reason for his incapacity is explained to him, and he is persuaded to make the effort necessary in order that he may regain control of the lost faculty.

Some remarkable cures were effected during General Fctherston's visit to the hospital. He saw men walk after having been apparently Kpeless cripples for many months. Others who had lost the power of speech were able, after a few minutes' conversation with Major Hurst, to speak quite rationally, and in their delight ran about the wards talking to the sisters and the doctors. One man who had a contracted hand was interviewed by Major Hurst in the presence of (.ioneral Fetherston. Several years previously one of tho knuckle joints had been removed, and the patient, clenching his hand tightly after tho operation, had been unable later to release his grip. After explaining how tho fingers were controlled by certain n.useles in the arm, Major Hurst impressed upon the man the necessity for concentrating his mind upon these, and assured him that if he would but make the effort he could open his hand without difficulty. In- a quarter of an hour lie was able to move his fingers, and later he was discharged from the hospital, completely cured, t>olllo of the patients treated would, in any other country, have been described as lunatics, and might have spent the remainder of their lives in asylums. General Fethorston saw two inmate who were always addressing imaginary crowds,, and generally acting iti a. peculiar manner. In both cases Major Hurst was able to persuade taiiiii of the folly of their actions, and they were eventually cured.

Of all the cages treated at the hospital only five per ceut. had to be discharged without haying been cured. They left the institution very much improved, howover, and were fit to follow ordinary avocations. From 15 to 30 pe.r cent, were able to be released for home service, anu the remainder were either discharged in a fit state to return to the trenches immediately, or after a period of service in England. The. average length of timn the patients remained in the hospital was from two to three months. work and other light occupations ir»r» provided for them during the period of treatment, and games and pastimes of all kinds were available.

As the result of General Fetherslon's investigations at Sealc Hayne and -other similar military hospitals, it js likely that Australian soldiers suffering from war neurosis will in future be treated in Great Britain beforo bpini? returned to Australia. This practice has been followed by the Canadian authorities for some time past, and Hie result is lhat there are singularly few "shell-shock" eases in that Dominion. Attempts which have hitherto been mads in Australia to deal effectively with this malady have nor proved entirely successful, but General Fetherston is of opinion that it will be possible to restore to his former normal condition every man now in Australia whose cn?e has been looked upon as hopeless. It is impossible to adequately trout such cases in general hospitals, however, and it may be necessary to establish, sneI'idl institutions, which niiclit be staffed by medical officers specially trained in England at Seale Hnyne Hospital and elsewhere.