Mine explosion: Mental confusion. Amnesia effected through Y. M. C. A.
Case 357. (Wiltshire, June, 1916.)
A sapper, 21, was admitted to a base hospital semi-stuporous, unable to answer questions and mistaking the identity of persons about him. At first he slept, but next day found he was in hospital. His mind was “all of a blur.” He did not remember coming to France; “It all seems a mist.” He felt he was ill and was afraid of becoming insane. There was no physical sign of disease except coarse tremor of hands.
At intervals over a period of about half an hour, helped by questions, he was able to get out the following with much emotion:
“Joe, don’t go—Give me my rifle, Joe—Ten killed. Poor old Taffy—Dreamed last night—Saw Harry Edmands with all his ribs broken—when we had the explosion—5000 bombs or two and a half tons of explosives blew up.—Joe—Clay said he would never live three weeks,—Glasses blown in.—Taffy killed by shell in stomach—S— L— All privates blown off him—Just after leaving workshop.”
Between the above statements, the patient might go off into short trance states, staring and pointing out of the tent.
Next day he was found in a condition of cheerful emotion, saying that he was ever so much better; an orderly had “saved him!” This orderly had taken him to the Y. M. C. A. recreation tent, played the piano to him, and made him play himself. His whole emotional state suddenly changed over. He now had a good memory for everything previous to his reaching France, and remembered simply that there had been an explosion. He remembered two names that he had mentioned, but he could remember nothing about their fate in France. He did not know where they were but he was not anxious about them.
Shell-shock: Hallucinations; alternations of personality.