Volume 1

On feigned and factitious diseases, chiefly of soldiers and seamen, on the means used to simulate or produce them, and on the best modes of discovering impostors: being the prize essay in the class of military surgery, in the University of Edinburgh, session 1835-6, with additions / By Hector Gavin.

  • Hector Gavin
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On feigned and factitious diseases, chiefly of soldiers and seamen, on the means used to simulate or produce them, and on the best modes of discovering impostors: being the prize essay in the class of military surgery, in the University of Edinburgh, session 1835-6, with additions / By Hector Gavin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    intimidate the raw soldier, it will only strengthen the hardened knave ; and if the opinion be erroneous, the consequences may be very unhappy-! Sir James Clark has expressed himself to me to the same effect, and Fallot is of the same opinion.” About fourteen years ago a medical staff officer was arraigned before a court martial, chiefly for having expressed himself to the effect that he had formed his opinion of the regiment ; they were all schemers and malingerers. In no instance should means be employed to detect a sus- . pected person, which a medical officer would regret having used were the alleged disability to prove real. This observation applies not only to coercive or penal measures, but even to irri- tating applications, nauseating medicines, and spare diet. It is always a prudent measure “to afford a malingerer an opportunity of giving in, without making it appear that he is convicted, or taking him much to task for his conduct; or, in the language of the hospital, to let ham softly down.” A friend of Mr. Marshall’s has been very successful in inducing malingerers to return to their duty, by addressing them thus, after having had them for some time under his care :—“ I] have carefully investigated everything relating to the pains you complain of. You do not suffer so much uneasi- ness as you state. I perfectly comprehend your drift; you wish to be discharged from the service. The plan will not suc- ceed; take my advice, and get well as fast as you can. While you continue to complain of uneasiness and disability, it will be necessary to keep you on low diet; but as soon as I am informed that your health is improving, you shall have full diet, and it will be continued for a week or ten days, when you will be able todo your duty. I do not think your case requires the further use of medicine.” Shame may be excited by the seeming neglect of the medi- cal offieer, as also by the scorn and jests of the other patients. 1 Dublin Hospital Reports, vol. iv. p. 134. 2 Memorial de I’ Expert, etc. p. 187. 3 Marshall, Hints, p. 101.