"SHELL SHOCK" CASES.

Taihape Daily Times, 14 June 1919, Page 6

"SHELL SHOCK" CASES.

THE VVRONG TERM APPLIED An “unfortunate and unscientific. term?’ was the description applied to the phrase “shell shock,” at" a recent meeting of the British lVfeClT:~’al Association held in London. A scientific‘ dcflnTr.ion was given later by Sir J. Purves Stewart, senl=rr physician, Westminster Hospital, “It was really,” he said, “1nole«:11l=u' abnormality of the nervous system characterlscd by abnormal reacr.ue.~:s to ordinary stimuli.” Dr. F, XV. Matt, in :1 paper on “‘»V:u‘ Neuroses,” said 3. great .n-in-_.r men who had been returned as suffer-ing from shell shock siicmlrl nave l')9f:1l more appl‘opriat9l}.' -fl-:-s'i_2;ll:xtofl “sljrcll shy.” The varied hysterical manifestations were due to emotional shock, and were curable by contra-sugges tion. The war had produced no new nervous disease. Severe shock might induce the manifestation in a potentially sound individual. In 10 per cent. anger was the domniant feature, in 10 per cent. fear was the dominant fentui-e,t and in the remaining 80 per cent. the primitive emotions were fairly equally re~ presezl'tetl. iAccol'("Tll'lg to ;ni's exphrit-I once, the most serious cases of war neuroses occurred in 1915 and 1916, when men were continually on the defensive, outnumbered, and outgunned. T‘ ‘: Sir J. Purves Stewart said he was ashamed of the term “shell shock.” It was’a bad term, and should be wiped out of the vocabulary of every scientific man. They could not blame the common soldier for glibly using it When it Was used not only by Cabinet Ministers and members of Parliarnent——people who did not know any better—(laughter)——but by medical. advisers of Government Departments.