Abstract
The controversial trial of a French soldier who resisted treatment of his ‘hysterical’ condition during the first world war illuminates fault lines in French society concerning the meaning of masculinity, honour, and the doctor– patient relationship. Drawing on contemporary press coverage and military archives, the author summarizes the trial and argues that class differences persisted beneath a veneer of national unity, while deeply held gender codes provided a common frame of reference, even among cultural enemies.
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