RETURNED SOLDIER SUFFERERS

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18669, 19 April 1926, Page 11

RETURNED SOLDIER SUFFERERS

TO THE SDITO» Ot "THE FFBSB." Sir,—l have waited to see if anyoue else had the interest to back up Colonel Pickerill's appeal on behalf of disabled soldiers. But as no one else has done so, may I be permitted .to support the most misunderstood of all returned soldier sufferers, viz., the "neurasthenic," so-called because medical diagnosis is completely at ft ftss to find a better term. A few years ago the Pensions Department- was driving all sorts' and kinds of cases to Hanmer for expensive medical treatment. I say "driviug," because many of the men were forced to give up jobs in face of the threat that their pensions would be sacrificed if they, refused to accept this treatment. Result, tremendous expense' to tho.country in the matter of transport, as cases were sent from the Far North to the Bluff, illustrating that "all roa : ds lead to Hanmer." Now comes the revelation. In the report of the Direc-tor-General of Health, . the report is given (March,""l 924) "of Vi\ P. Chisholm, Superintendent at Hanmer,'.- who remarks: "The"service patients arc particularly unsatisfactory to treat. Very little real. success is achieved, and it appears impossible to get a service patient to admit any improvement. Physically, they often are perfectly well/but continue to ■ complain of various ills. Their-psychology is very evident.,-They are ..quite aware the, moment they state they are better they will ccaso receiving pensions, and be thrown- on their own resources."

These last words aro very • illumatirig. Of course, their "psychology is -veryovident," etc, but why? Because many of them were sent there -under the threat that they would lose theirj pensions if they did not. accept treatimerit at Hanmer, in spite of the jiaet that many of them were perfectly [willing to accept treatment nearor at home. But no, tho Pensions Department said Hanmer,'and Hanmer it had to be, or no pension. So it can be seen that the Pensions Department it-, self is in no small measure to blame 'lpr the fixation .ofthis.!! psychology." . Then, attention, shquld.be ..drawn to jthese words of -Dr. Ghisholm: ."Physically they-often are perfectly well, but continue to-complain of various ills','.' With .all due. respect to an a-medical.man, ,I, wish to say from. '■my.- own • experience- that- these words are hardly correct. Many /of these service, patients really -do suffer intensely with bowel troubles, as the after-effegts of dysentery and enteric, and'many of-them again suffer from general coflstitutlohal weakness on account of rheumatic, malaria, and trench 'fevers,- etc., ai'weakness whi'ch is ever ready- to throw them down at almost any time.' Now, no one knows better than I do how terribly'hard the diagnosis of these cases actually is. Consequently, medical men take refuge in the term-"neurasthenic,'" or, as the Americans call it, "neurologic." ..••-•But what I should like to say is. that these neurasthenic symptoms are'not in themselves the actual disease, but are merely theaiter-effects of the general constitutional debility. Such Vases "could be .more iightly.!:interpreted. as ..'.'. constitutional -complex," if I may.be permitted to invenj a' term.- ■- lir my roJsnNcase I know it has been treated as ost anything 'in the medical- dictionary; 'For instance, beginning at Botbrua' in 1917, it was toxic-arthritis, and has been since myalgia, neuralgia, rheumatism, and neurasthenia. When I last left Hanmer, Dr. Chisholm recommended that I should be examined by a chest specialist;'so he seems,to have had a suspicion in that I often wonder what it will be next. But I merely usemy. own case as an iUustra.tion.of.'tbe many others who are apparently 'all right, "but are inwardly very much wrong,' indeed, and who often suffer intensely •in a lone-hand struggle against their war inflictions; because in" the great majority of cases they are 50 little understood, and their sufferings so little'recognised. I: would bo very, glad, Sir, if you could find the space fo* this plea on behalf of those returned soldier-suffer-ers who have the hardest row to hoe because there.; is nothing outwardly to show how .the war has left its indelible maik. —Yours, etc., - - K.M. THOMSON. -Auckland, April 14th, 1926.