On the feigned and factitious diseases of soldiers and seamen, on the means used to simulate or produce them, and on the best modes of discovering impostors : being a short abstract of the prize essay delivered during the session 1835-6, to the Professor of military surgery in the University of Edinburgh / by Hector Gavin.

  • Gavin, Hector.
Date:
1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the feigned and factitious diseases of soldiers and seamen, on the means used to simulate or produce them, and on the best modes of discovering impostors : being a short abstract of the prize essay delivered during the session 1835-6, to the Professor of military surgery in the University of Edinburgh / by Hector Gavin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    consideration, presumed that an alleged disability is feigned, what are the most probable means of inducing him to return to his duty. In such a case, the medical officer ought to conceal his suspicions until they are confirmed or removed.1 He will then have all the advantages of seeing the suspected party under a variety of circumstances favourable to cool investigation. Moreover, his arrangements should be such as to enable him to detect fraud ; his hospital serjeant and orderlies, men on whom he can depend. Marshall, however, states that he has been frankly told by orderlies in general hospitals, that their lives would be miserable if it were but suspected that they com- municated privately with medical officers respecting the conduct of patients, and on that account civilly declined promising to afford their aid.2 Hence we can seldom arrive at an accurate knowledge of the various means of simulating disease. By a prudent course, and sometimes by appearing to under- rate the importance of the complaint, the malingerer may be led to change his mode of procedure, and the deceit thus be- come apparent—as in the case of a man who first simulated rheumatism, and then added hasmoptysis.3 Some regimental surgeons appear to give credit to the relations of the malingerer, and by asking questions unconnected with the symptoms, elicit answers so contradictory as to expose the deceit. Marshall recommends, that disabled men should be examined without their clothes : he states, that he knows from experience that it is as necessary in the examination of inefficient men, as in the inspection of recruits. They cannot thereby conceal whatever evidence of health may be inferred from a plump frame and muscular limbs.4 To this recommendation I would add, that the inspections should be conducted in private ; for it has been remarked, by those most experienced in these subjects, that the number of spectators always increases the obstinacy of the impostor.5 i Ballingall's Military Surgery, p. 575. 2 Hints, p. 98. s Cheyne, Dublin Hospital Reports, vol. iv. p. 133. < On the Enlisting, etc. 5 Paris and Fonblanque, Medical Jurisprudence, vol. 1. p. 356 ; also HenneU'a Military Surgery, p. 453, j> 3