Shell Shock Victims

Disturbing footage of the effects of shell shock. Filmed during World War 1, these remarkable films show traumatised soldiers displaying all sorts of different symptoms from strange tics to uncontrollable shaking. Seale Hayne in Devon was a military hospital which played an incredible role in curing shell shock victims during The Great War. At the time, most shell shock victims were treated harshly and with little sympathy as their symptoms were not understood and they were seen as a sign of weakness. So instead of receiving proper care, many victims endured more trauma with treatments such as solitary confinement or electric shock therapy. However, one doctor called Arthur Hurst believed he could cure every shell shock victim. He took them to Seale Hayne which was deep in the Devon countryside and there he used revolutionary treatments such as hypnosis, persuasion, massage and dietary treatments to cure his patients. In fact 90% of Hurst's patients were cured in one session.