Case 83. (Ballard, 1917.)
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Southard, Elmer Ernest
A soldier was blown up, April, 1915, and had a spell of unconsciousness. Later, pains in the head, slight amnesia and a condition of asthenia developed.
He was eventually admitted to the second Eastern General Hospital at Brighton, January, 1916. At the time of admission he was semiconscious, stuporous, confused, disoriented, anxious in a dull sort of way, talking about his expectation of “a sailor with a card.” Speech was intelligible, though fragmentary and infrequent. The man obeyed commands but gave no replies to questions. The mental processes were slow and impaired.
According to Ballard, we have here a case of epileptic confusion, eight months after the initial concussion. This particular attack ceased three days later, leaving amnesia for the attack and a certain amount of mental retardation. The man was not epileptic in temperament and his personal and family history proved negative.