The nature of these treatments reflected diverse views about the origins of shell shock as well as differing opinions about the best way to resolve its debilitating symptoms. Melancholia or depression was a common problem in other war hospitals too and was the most common diagnosis (18 per cent) among soldiers from the expeditionary force in France admitted to the Lord Derby War Hospital, Warrington, Lancashire, between June 1916 and June 1917.Īs the diagnosis of shell shock became increasingly common throughout the network of war hospitals in Ireland and England, a broad range of treatments were proposed. Two weeks after admission, Corporal IJ was transferred to Belfast War Hospital for further treatment. He took a peculiar cold shiver while I was speaking to him recently but when put to bed his temperature did not rise. One week after admission, Corporal IJ remained “dull and depressed and inclined to be hypochondriacal. On his first night at the Richmond War Hospital, Corporal IJ 'remained quiet and slept well'. He then came back to Ireland and had been in several hospital since he came home' suffering with 'influenza and pneumonia'. He states he has nothing to live for”.Ĭorporal IJ had joined the army in 1914 and spent time in India, only to return in 1915 when 'he used to suffer with his head and ears'.

He states his head jumps now and then, and that he sleeps badly and dreams much. He complained “of pain and clattering noises in his head. Corporal IJ was described as “stout”, complained of a cough and seemed mentally “somewhat depressed, and hypochondriacal”. Many of the cases admitted to the Richmond War Hospital were characterised not only by characteristic symptoms of shell shock, but also features of depression, which was a relatively common feature within shell shock but could also attain considerable severity in its own right.Ĭorporal IJ, for example, was a 26-year old, single Wesleyan admitted to the Richmond War Hospital in late 1918. More than half of the soldiers admitted to the Richmond War Hospital reportedly recovered following their time there, although a minority moved on to different locations for further treatment (eg Belfast War Hospital, which opened in 1917), and a small number were transferred to general asylums.

This apparent rapid recovery was by no means unique.

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