Dysentery: Milk diet persisted in: Vomiting, incontinence, inability to walk. Cure by persuasion.
Case 500. (McDowell, December, 1916.)
A soldier, 25, a low menial when war broke out, developed “dysentery and gastritis” at the Dardanelles, although even before the dysentery his nerves had gone bad. He had diarrhoea and vomiting, was sick every day, found himself unable to walk, and found himself always wet with urine dribbling day and night. Arriving in England and treated in a hospital, he still had vomiting. He had lived on milk and custard and been kept in bed.
Capt. McDowell convinced the patient that his legs were not as weak as he supposed. He was encouraged to walk, put upon light diet and then upon ordinary diet. He became an active worker in the ward, later going for five-mile route marches. Two months later he went back to duty in good health, weighing seven pounds more than before. This man was weakminded and, when his dysentery was cured, did not dare to start eating ordinary food. He was a victim of hospital régime. Individual attention would have obviated much of the subsequent state.
Re vomiting, see remarks under another case of McDowell (Case 495).
Re incontinence, see Case 384, of Guillain and Barré.