Title: War Surgery and Medicine

Author: Stout, T. Duncan M.

Publication details: Historical Publications Branch, 1954, Wellington

Part of: The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945

This text is the subject of: ‘Something of Them Is Here Recorded’: Official History in New Zealand

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Association of Neurosis with Head Injury

Comparatively few cases of concussion among service personnel had any sequelae due to physical injury, but Dr D. Macdonald Wilson, in a survey of 953 cases of head injury in servicemen of the Second World War, drew attention to the marked incidence of neurosis in these cases. The men had been discharged from the service or had subsequently applied for pension on account of symptoms relating to head injury. Dr Wilson's opinion after a perusal of all the files was that comparatively few cases of concussion have any sequelae due to physical injury. He entirely agreed with the opinion held in the Middle East that ‘post-concussional syndrome’ was due wholly to neurosis. It was only in the severe cases of concussion that definite sequelae developed, and in those cases obvious physical changes were present. The large majority of the other cases cleared up quickly following discharge to civil life. Neurosis was prevalent among ex-servicemen where there was an object such as release from service or obtaining a pension.