This film shows 18 British soldiers suffering the symptoms of shell-shock and their treatment. The treatment was undertaken by two leading RAMC neurologists in two British military hospitals towards the end of the First World War.
The captions tell us the men's names, rank, medical condition, details of their symptoms and how long it took to complete the cure, which in one case was in two and a half hours.
Clinical features shown include a variety of ataxic and hysterical gaits hysterical paralyses, contractures and anaesthesias facial ties and spasms loss of knee and ankle-jerk reflexes paraplegia war hyperthyrodism amnesia word-blindness and word-deafness. Although there are no precise details of the kind of treatment given, apart from the description 'cured and re-educated' we do see a little physiotherapy and hypnotic suggestion in treatment, and of 'cured' men undertaking farm-work, drill and a mock battles entitled 'Re-enacting the Battle of Seale Hayne / Convalescent war neurosis patients'.
Producer: Wellcome Film
Production Company: Dr (later Sir) Arthur Hurst, FRCP, and Dr J L M Symns with the Royal Army Medical Corps, the Medical Research Committee and Netley (Hampshire) and Seale Hayne (Devon) Military Hospitals.
Sponsor: Seale Hayne Military Hospital
