The case of MR. ROBERT ANDREW DERMOD FORREST
CADET OFFICER, Class 1.
Born 21st February, 1893. (Age now 48 2/12ths)
327
Peterhead Academy
Aberdeen University
1904 1909
1909 1914
M.A. with 1st class honours, 1914.
Military Service (Gordon Highlanders) 1914 - 1919
Cadet Officer, Hong Kong, October, 1919.
PAST HISTORY
Mr. Forrest suffered from some degree of shock during his war service in France, being partially buried by a shell explosion, and after demobilisation (1919) a small pension was drawn for two years.
Since his appointment in Hong Kong in 1919 he enjoyed average good health until 1935, when he applied for a transfer to another Colony on grounds of indifferent health.
In this application, dated 9th August, 1935, lir. Forrest wrote as follows:- "My general health has been well maintained in Hong Kong, except in the case of my nerves, which show an increasing tendency to weakness. This, unless a predisposition to neurasthenia may have resulted from my war service, I can attribute to nothing but the direct influence of the humid climate and to the conditions of urban life here. Although this nervousness has never actually led to absence from duty, it has shown itself by an increasing tendency to sleeplessness and continued depression, with some tendency to hypochondria. It may be not without connection with the last symptóm. that a diagnosis of slight sinusitis some years ago has weighed on my mind: several surgeons have advised operations, which I am unwilling to undergo, as I am totally free of the symptoms in question when not actually in the Far East".
In support of this application Professor Gerrard, Consulting Physician, examined Mr. Forrest and reported as follows:
His nervous
"I could find no trace of organic disease.
system is in a highly tonic state and from his previous history it would appear that there were occasional attacks of irritability and insomnia during past years. Mr. Forrest states that he had shell shock during the Great War and that condition may have had a definite relation to any subsequent temporary functional upsets of his nervous system. I do not think that Mr. Forrest's symptoms are likely to improve through continued residence in Hong Kong. I am of opinion that his health would benefit greatly by a drier climate".
In November, 1936, Mr. Forrest suffered from an attack of bacillary dysentery, from which however, he made a good recovery.
In September, 1937, he suffered from a nervous breakdown following upon a prolonged period of insomnia.
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