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Remembered Today:

Shell-Shock: The French Experience


Desdichado

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Can anyone advise me as to the whereabouts of any French literature - preferably medical - on the treatment of shell-shock victims in the French armed forces during the war? I can't seem to find any figure relating to the number of men treated or anything about postwar investigation into the condition. I had an idea that the findings of the British enquiry of 1922 might have been reviewed by the French but I can find no mention of it. Hopefully, one of the pals will know where to look and put me on the path.

Regards,

Des.

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Can anyone advise me as to the whereabouts of any French literature - preferably medical - on the treatment of shell-shock victims in the French armed forces during the war? I can't seem to find any figure relating to the number of men treated or anything about postwar investigation into the condition. I had an idea that the findings of the British enquiry of 1922 might have been reviewed by the French but I can find no mention of it. Hopefully, one of the pals will know where to look and put me on the path.

Regards,

Des.

There was a society, the Fédération Nationale des Trépanés et Blessés de la Tête, who acted as a charity for all those with head wounds, and included the shell-shocked amongst those they helped. In 1984, it became the Blessés Crâniens Français. The latter's website is at http://www.bcf-asso.info/wsb3918065601/1.html

On Gallica, I've found the following text:

Sur les syndromes paralytiques consécutifs aux blessures de la tête sans effraction cranienne, by Dr Jean Duthen-Domingeau at http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb32064727t/description

There are articles on medical treatment listed at

http://tsovorp.org/histoire/Sources/Base09_1418.php

http://tsovorp.org/histoire/Sources/Base09_RR1418.php and

http://tsovorp.org/histoire/Sources/Baseacmed_1418.php

I can't see any directly related to shell-shock -they seem to be largely related to surgery - but there are some related more generally to psychology, which may have a bearing.

This thesis concerns a doctor who wrote on the psychology of the soldier during the First World War, and appears to have a good bibliography: www.bium.univ-paris5.fr/histmed/asclepiades/pdf/lestrade.pdf

Hope these help

Ian

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Many thanks Ian. Anything that remotely deals with SS in the French armed forces will be of use.

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