The Traumatic Neurosis

A study of a series of industrial and nonindustrial accident patients presenting the symptoms of a posttraumatic neurosis shows the small part that trauma plays in such a condition. When the individuals of this group are carefully studied, other facts are discovered that are vastly more important than the injury. Indirectly, this is proved by the great number of people who have sustained severe injury and who present no late neurotic symptoms. On the other hand, a trifling physical injury with no concomitant shock may be followed by a most deplorable psychic state. In short, there must be some peculiarity of the individual that causes him to react in an uncommon way after a greater or lesser injury. This is borne out by an increasing experience with patients who have been so classified. When one is able to obtain an eminently satisfactory history from the patient, his early life, his