Dr Adolf Lukas Vischer (1884–1974) and 'barbed-wire disease'. (February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ohry, Avi; Solomon, Zahava
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical biography. Volume 22:Number 1(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 14
• Page End: 17
• Publication Date: 2014-02
• Subjects: post-traumatic stress disorder -- shell-shock -- AL Vischer -- prisoners of wars -- 'Barbed-wire disease'; Medicine -- Biography -- Periodicals; Medicine -- History -- Periodicals; 610.92
• DOI: 10.1177/0967772013479547
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0967-7720

Abstract

The Swiss physician Adolf Lukas Vischer described a psychiatric syndrome among prisoners of war, the 'barbed-wire disease' that follows a long-term incarceration and which involved boredom, confusion, clouding of consciousness and amnesia. Vischer first identified this as an important clinical issue. Later in life, he became one of the first geriatricians and gerontologists.