NEW TREATMENTS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 191, 11 May 1944, Page 5

NEW TREATMENTS

Psychiatric Casualties Of Warfare ■ (Received May 10, 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 10. Discussing- a subject; regarding which the arm.v has previously been reticent, Major-General Norman Kirk, Army Surgeon-General, and Colonel Menninger, Chief of the Division of Neuropsychiatry, told a Press conference that this war was producing more psycho-neuroses among American soldiers than the last war, but improved methods of treatment were salvaging 60 per cent, of cases for further duty.

They explained that, there was less public enthusiasm for the present war, also weapons were more lethal and extremes pf climate greater. “The American way of life is not conducive to fitting man for army regimentation,” said Colonel Menninger. “.Some of our people, reared iu plenty and accustomed to thinking of self before group welfare, are not convinced that they should tight, but it is proven that where leadership and training are good, where morale is high and the troops have sufficient understanding of why they are fighting, psychiatric casualties are comparatively low. “Officers and non-commissioned officers are now trained iu preventive mental hygiene. Through new methods of treatment 30 to 40 per cent, of mental casualties are returned to duty within 48 hours. Another 40 per cent, of those sent to evacuation hospitals can be salvaged. The remainder return to the United States, where most improve. Most of those returned to civil life 'become useful members of society, readjusted, if not cured.”