292 THE NEW WORLD OF SCIENCE 



change in the body as a foundation. The conditions under 

 which the men fought were enough to shake the nerves of all 

 but the strongest individuals, and it is not to be wondered at 

 that a profound impression was made on any person in the 

 least inclined to be emotional. The symptoms of the disease 

 were so numerous that it is impossible even to enumerate them, 

 as almost every known disability was mimicked. 



Early in the war the purely nervous nature of the conditions 

 was not recognized by the physicians in charge of most of them, 

 nor by the public, and the men were treated in the base hos- 

 pitals as though they had a serious organic lesion in the brain 

 or spinal cord, rather than a pure disturbance of function 

 without organic change. As the patient was still in an emo- 

 tional and highly sensitive state each suggestion of 

 disease soon became to him a reality, and as time went on the 

 course of the disease grew worse, rather than better, and 

 chronic invalidism became the only outlook. 



When, however, these cases were carefully studied by trained 

 neurologists their identity with peace time neuroses was estab- 

 lished and a complete reversal was instituted. This occurred 

 at a very early date among the French, who have long been 

 foremost in the knowledge of the psychoneuroses. The patients 

 were no longer sent home or even to the base ports, but were 

 treated in special hospitals not far back of the front, by men 

 who were especially skilled in nervous diseases. The treatment 

 was along definite lines, was firm, almost paternal, and above 

 all was given promptly, as soon after the true nature of the 

 disease was recognized as possible. In principle the successful 

 method of treatment was essentially reeducation in the life of a 

 soldier. Drill and work of a useful kind was kept up as much 

 as possible and everything done to aid the patient in regaining 

 his normal healthy view of the life of a soldier and his control 

 of his emotions. In the military atmosphere of drill and useful 

 work and with good hygiene, food and comfortable living condi- 

 tions it was astonishing how soon these men became normal 

 soldiers again, and although many were unable to resume full 



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