From Cowardice to Shellshock: Medicine, Psychiatry and the Great War

World War I drove great advances in science and technology, but less well-known is its impact on medicine. Hear the story of the stretcher bearers at the heart of this medical revolution, and explore the evolution of diagnostics and treatment of 'war neurosis'.

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Emily Mayhew tells the story of the stretcher bearers of WW1 who were at the heart of this medical revolution. Then, Louis and Marc-Antoine Crocq explore the evolution of the diagnostics and treatment of ’war neurosis’.

This event was organised in association with the French Embassy, and was filmed at the Ri on 23 September 2014.

Emily Mayhew is a research associate at Imperial College London and has written 'The reconstruction of warriors' and 'Wounded: The long journey home from The Great War', which was shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize.

Louis Crocq is a psychiatrist and clinical psychologist who specialises in war neurosis. He is also an an associate emeritus professor at Paris Descartes University. He will be presenting with his son Marc-Antoine who is also a psychiatrist. The event was chaired by Carla Valentine, technical assistant curator at Barts Pathology Museum in West Smithfield, London.



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