The medical Department in the Civil War / S. Weir Mitchell.

  • Mitchell, S. Weir (Silas Weir), 1829-1914.
Date:
[1914], ©1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The medical Department in the Civil War / S. Weir Mitchell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/24 (page 16)
    orders which we now accept under the name of neuras¬ thenia. Unfortunately the recording of these states fell to Dr. Morehouse, who delayed writing about them until an unfortunate fire in his library entirely destroyed these priceless records. To this day I can¬ not think of it without regret. In this hospital, massage was used to restore action to limbs in which healing nerve-wounds left the muscles palsied, or for the rigidity of splinted cases. Among the numerous other matters on which I may not linger were the influence of nerve-lesions on nutri¬ tion and temperature, the first record of wounds of the sympathetic nerve, and the study of reflex palsies. The victims of nerve-wounds were often men worn out from fever, dysentery and long marches; hence some of the symptoms of nerve-wounds we described have never been seen since in like intensity. The statements in regard to causalgia—burning neuralgia —were received in England with critical doubt. That hospital was, as one poor fellow said, a hell of pain. In one year over forty thousand injections of morphin were used. Time lacks here to redescribe cases of neuralgia of such intensity that the pain was increased by the vibrations of a band of music, by the rustle of dry paper handled, and by a loud footfall in the ward. I have seen men pour water into their boots to lessen the vibration which the friction of walking caused. I have never encountered such cases since, nor shall we again until we see diseased men the victims of wounds. I permit myself to say that a few years ago Dr. John K. Mitchell reexamined all the survivors of nerve- wounds whose cases we had detailed in our papers who could be found. This difficult task added a valuable chapter to our knowledge of nerve injuries. It became the custom to turn over to us the cases suspected of malingering. These were the scamps or cowards, and in some cases the victims of a strange form of psychic disorder. I could interest you long by our devices to trap these fellows, commonly by the use of an anesthetic. Cases of nostalgia, homesickness, were serious addi¬ tions to the peril of wounds and disease, and a dis¬ order we rarely see nowadays. I regret that no careful study was made of what was in some instances an