Shellshock in the College collections Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

Major Arthur HurstMedical diseases of war1940, 2nd ed.Soon after the beginning of WWI, military doctors noticed that soldiers started to show neurological symptoms like dizziness, tremor, tinnitus, amnesia, weakness and headache. In most of these cases, there was no obvious physical injury. This condition became known as ‘shellshock’ or ‘war neurosis’. Some doctors believed it was caused by hidden brain injuries or carbon monoxide poisoning, while others accused the affected soldiers of malingering.

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Coat of arms (crest) of Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

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Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

Shell shock hospital hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy

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Hysteria, head injuries and heredity: 'shell-shocked' soldiers of the Royal Edinburgh Asylum, Edinburgh (1914–24)

History of Medicine Collections Institute of Historical Research

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