The treatment of shell-shock

Abstract

“I had a sister first, then a brother, then another brother – he was the one that was killed – and the next brother, who was also in the army, went out, and he got shell–shock. Of course, they didn't understand anything about it at all in those days. He was put on light duty at first, and for, I should think, two–and–a–half years, we had the most terrible life with him. I don't mean because he could help it – he couldn't help it at all – and no doctor seemed to be able to do anything with him at all. About five times a day, he'd say he was going to commit suicide. We knew he wouldn't, but he'd got to be watched, all the time, and he would wake up in the night, screaming – and my mother would go and sit with him – saying ‘Oh, I can't go back to it’ … It was absolutely terrifying when he woke up, screaming and screaming and screaming.” (Liddle Collection, Leeds University Library, further details available from author upon request)