A shock case of Mairet and Piéron had a disorder of memory. Association paths were open one day and closed the next. Subjected to shell-shock, September 18, 1915, he was found wandering in the woods a few days later, having completely lost his memory, even for his name. In November he recovered his surname but not his given name. On stimulation he was gotten to remember his city, his father, the street, and the like. Shortly he could get back his memories more quickly; after a week it took only 35 seconds to remember that he was born at Paris. However, his recollection of the Trocadero and of the Eiffel Tower, which had come back to him in November, 1915, was lost again in April, 1916, to return once more in August. December, 1915, he could not write to dictation, but copied writing as he would a design. He suddenly felt himself able to write in the Morse code (he was a telegrapher); then ordinary writing returned. February, 1916, however, he had forgotten what the Morse code was. In April, he was taught numbers. One day he would know left from right, but had forgotten it by evening.
Shell-explosion: Comrade killed: Amnesia.
Case 449. (Gaupp, April, 1915.)
F. K., a 23-year old soldier, in civil life a turner, of Polish descent, and of a somewhat nervous and easily excitable disposition, early in August went from Strassburg into the Vosges and Lorraine. On the 26th a number of shells exploded near him. The troop was excited and took refuge in a cellar. K.’s best friend was torn to pieces by a shell. When his body was removed, K. felt sick and lost consciousness. He arrived at the clinic in Tübingen in a stuporous condition, by hospital train, on August 31, 1914. He walked weakly to his bed, supported by two men, and lay in the bed, apathetic and reacting to questions only with a stare. Things put in his mouth were swallowed. He remained motionless.
Next evening he answered a low Yes to a nurse’s question about eating. A little afterwards he said he supposed he was a prisoner in the enemy’s country. A little later he got properly oriented but still did not know how he had come. September 2, however, he was much clearer and said he had awakened out of a long dream. There was a complete amnesia, however, from the moment when he went to help remove the torn body of his friend up to September 1. Memories became clearer for the period before the shell explosion. The patient became very lively, talking vividly of war experiences, imitating shell hissing with an expression of intense anxiety, getting accustomed to battle scenes, saying that he was now seeing everything again as if real. He remained anxious for some days, complaining of weight on his chest and of feelings of internal restlessness and tension.
Amnesia for the period of August 26 to September 1 remained; all that K. could add to the story of those days was that he had been thrown sidewise for some distance by the air pressure of the shell.
From September 6 onwards, he grew calmer but he was still very labile, given to lively imaginings and emotion. By the middle of September he was well and discharged for garrison duty.
Shell-explosion: Recurrent amnesia.