Case 459. (Mills, January, 1917.)
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Southard, Elmer Ernest
The “Yes-No” test proved of special value in the case of an Australian private. Shortly after landing at Gallipoli this man had a bullet graze his ankle and fell some thirty feet over the bow of a ridge. He was picked up unable to move his legs and insensitive therein.
The paraplegia and anesthesia lasted three months. “Fracture dislocation of the dorsal spine” was the diagnosis made, and laminectomy was even contemplated. The sphincter reflex was normal and there was no atrophy, no rigidity and no reflex disorder. Asked to say “no” when he could not feel a pin-prick and “yes” when he did feel it, he replied “no” to each prick to the anesthetic area and changed his reply to “yes” when the sensitive parts of the body were examined. At another time the answers were found not to correspond with those given before.
The soldier was assured that he would get well and that as soon as he could walk he would be boarded and returned to Australia.
After a number of weeks he became able to walk.