Psychopathic excitement.
Case 190. (Buscaino and Coppola, January, 1916.)
An Italian soldier, 22 (father and brother both committed to insane asylums), since his enlistment had been conducting himself strangely, being impulsive, undisciplined and unbalanced. He had been in Libia from January to August, 1913, and was returned to Italy on account of persistent severe headaches. A month later he was returned to a regiment in camp.
September 23, 1914, the patient, who had been reproved by a superior officer to whom he had given a disrespectful answer, began to be excitable. He was calm during the day, but acted in a sullen and gloomy way and kept entirely to himself, avoiding even his most intimate friends. When, however, he suddenly recalled his punishment of the morning, he began to race around the yard and finally threw himself upon the ground, remaining there in a cowering and squatting position. At the beginning of the attack he was possessed of a paroxysm of fury, which made a great impression upon those present: eyes agape, face swollen and distorted. He resisted being transferred to the hospital and a furious struggle followed. He tried to bite and scratch everyone. It required ten persons to carry him by his hands and feet safely to the hospital, where he arrived in a state of great excitement and rage.
At the clinic, during the period of observation, he was always tranquil, rather silent, gloomy, somewhat hostile; said he did not remember why he was brought there. Often he was not able to sleep, especially during the first few days of his stay. Has had painful headaches and feeling of dizziness. Several times he showed a tendency to be untruthful. Bodily examination revealed the absence of conjunctival and pharyngeal reflexes. W. R. of serum was negative.
Patient was sent to an interior hospital for convalescence.