Military Chat

Hi all,
My Great Great Grandfather was discharged from the army in 1902 for being a "Dangerous Lunatic". I've seen his discharge papers and asylum records but they don't say exactly what he did to be discharged in this way. Is there anyway I could find this out?
Many thanks,
Kerry

I doubt that there is a way you could find out if it is not in his records. It could be that he had what we would call post traumatic stress disorder today but such things were not understood back then.

Is it just discharge papers or his full army record that you have seen?

Kath. x

Thanks Kathleen. I'm sure it's his full army records I've seen. He had syphillus and it looked like he contracted it from his mother who also died in an asylum from it. I was wondering if the army had any records.

K xx

He probably had this disease:-

Paresis

Alternative titles: brain syphilis; cerebrospinal syphilis; dementia paralytica; syphilitic meningoencephalitis; tertiary syphilis

Paresis, also called brain syphilis, syphilitic meningoencephalitis, general paralysis of the insane, or dementia paralytica, psychosis caused by widespread destruction of brain tissue occurring in some cases of late syphilis. Mental changes include gradual deterioration of personality, impaired concentration and judgment, delusions, loss of memory, disorientation, and apathy or violent rages. Convulsions are not uncommon, and while temporary remissions sometimes occur, untreated paresis is eventually fatal.

My husband's grandfather died in a local asylum of "dementia paralytica". We managed to get hold of his records from the asylum after someone at Durham County Records office told us where to apply (it was a national health trust).

Kath. x

My mother had a friend who was in the army during the war and stationed on a hospital ship anchored in the Bay of Naples.

The patients were soldiers who were either wounded or, by far the majority, suffering from syphilis. As a result he thought he was an expert on the disease and told me on more than one occasion about the long-term effects.

I gather the disease lies dormant for years and then surfaces as a form of dementia - according to G every man of the right age showing signs of dementia had GPI (General Paralysis of the Insane) as a result of catching syphilis during the war!!

Kerry....Syphilis back then was not very treatable and the brain suffered the most damage until death.....Sir Winston Churchill,s father ...an MP and Government Minister died from it...he sadly made many very sad and strange speeches in Parliament...before having to resign....and ultimately dying from it....:-(