“Tramps, ne’er do wells and criminals” During World War I medical authorities in Britain described the condition of men suffering from their war experiences as “Not yet diagnosed – nervous” or NYD-N. They divided these cases into “neurasthenia” and “hysteria”. Neurasthenia seemed to occur… among officers and was treated with rest, recreation, and a period away […]

How families of soldiers survived World War I  When World War I began, the Canadian government decided to offer a separation allowance to families whose breadwinners were headed for the trenches. Although they saw the need for a program, they did not want to have to pay its full cost. Charity was their answer. The Canadian […]

We are, explains Karen Armstrong in her short book The Short History of Myth, “myth-making creatures.” Myths and stories influence the way we think, the beliefs we hold. An important English Canadian myth at the time of World War I was that Canadians needed to spring to the defence of the Mother Country. Since then, the […]