The soldier escaped with a comrade and eventually reached Val-de-Grâce where the diagnosis of hysterical amaurosis was again made. Examinations several times showed that there was nothing abnormal about the eyes except that the eyelids presented habitual fibrillary movements (antebellum).
The eyelids passively opened, would remain open for a few minutes and then close. There was no winking of the eye to a light, yet the pupil preserved its reflex power.
Vision was abolished, however, the soldier said. He was without any other motor or sensory disorder. Much sympathy was given to the poor blind soldier. People were much astonished when the chief of the ophthalmological service had the man isolated in a dark room. Three weeks later the man had begun to see the light a little. A week later the eyes remained open without the necessity of having the lids raised by the fingers, and vision returned.
Re amaurosis, Parsons explains the blindness which may remain after consciousness returns following Shell-shock, as a condition in which the lower visual paths are carrying on their functions normally. For example, the pupillary reactions are preserved. The condition is not unlike that found in amaurosis of uremia, and Parsons has found it in children with posterior basic meningitis. For Parsons, therefore, the block occurs in the higher centers above the thalamus, possibly in the synapses of the optic radiation fibers. Ormond states that the true cases of concussion blindness invariably pass through phases of great discomfort; whereas the malingerers are without such discomfort. Medical suggestion, also, has a powerful effect here, and may actually retard recovery.
A newspaper cure.
Case 462. (Sicard, October, 1915.)
Sicard read in a French newspaper a story to the effect that, at two o’clock in the afternoon, a soldier had fallen on the sidewalk between Nos. 40 and 42 Boulevard de Liberté, in a nervous crisis. The people ran and picked him up. When he came to, he was very joyful, perceiving that the shock had given him back his speech, which he had lost the August previous. This soldier, the newspaper continued, became deafmute through the explosion of a bomb in a fight in Upper Alsace. “The brave soldier is most happy over the unexpected result.” The newspaper went on, “We congratulate him sincerely, as well as the people who assisted him.” He was the more contented that he had gotten well because, the soldier said, he would now be able to go back among his comrades to fight with the Boches!
Now, in point of fact, Sicard had dealt with this soldier the morning of the day in question. He had been simulating mutism for ten months, and finally told Sicard that he would like to leave that afternoon as he felt cure coming. Sometime after, he wrote a letter of profuse thanks for the benefits received, and said he did not deserve to avoid court-martial. He also said that he was going to do everything he could to justify himself. Incidentally, he kept his word and an officer in his regiment later gave him an enthusiastic recommendation.
Re malingering, see discussion concerning simulateurs de création and simulateurs de fixation under [Case 453].