Report of the War Office Committee of Enquiry into "Shell-shock."
- Great Britain. War Office. Committee of Enquiry into "Shell-shock"
- Date:
- 1922
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report of the War Office Committee of Enquiry into "Shell-shock.". Source: Wellcome Collection.
37/226 page 31
![76 “6 “6 66 dl balance of nervous energy varies in individuals just as banking balances do. Some become bankrupt and succumb before they draw on their current account, or even scent the battle. Most real men take a lot of depressing, and even when really and . ” the description that they did not know what fear was, which than others. A few bury it out of sight, but it is there all the same. “© Shell-shock ’ is born of fear. Its grandparents are self- which has to be repressed or concealed demands an unrestricted but well-controlled output of nervous energy. Craven fear 1s the most extravagant prodigal of nervous energy known. upon his head and disgrace him in the eyes of his fellows. He ‘The most likely type of man for ‘ shell-shock ’ is the brood- a6 46 46 £6 Men of high intelligence, who recognise the necessity to cast their imagination and live for the hour at a time, taking no heed for what the future might bring forth, 7.¢., who adopted the fatalist attitude, these men fortified themselves, and for “6 4e a6 telligence had not used it to develop their character and gence was a safeguard. Uncontrolled intelligence was a curse and a sure forerunner of “ shell-shock.’ A characteristic common to all * shell-shock ’ individuals was fear, Several of the conditions named (in Question 15) were usually present at the final breakdown, but most of them had contributed at one time or other to the exhaustion of will-power and of vitality.’’” He considered that ‘* the most potent single cause of ‘ shell-shock ” and nervous breakdown was loss of sleep and inadequate rest. Associate with these the bursting of high 5] * shell-shock ’ cases.’ ’ Next comes severe mental stress grouped. with fatigue, mud and blood, wet and cold, misery and monotony, unsavoury cooking and feeding, nauseating environment, ete.’’ ‘“ The incidence was certainly greater amongst troops who had been worn out by long spells in the trenches. / Shell-shock ’](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b3217777x_0037.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
