Abstract
Since the report of Sakel 1 on the successful treatment of certain cases of schizophrenia by producing a hypoglycemic shock with the use of insulin, there has been increasing interest in the study of the physiological, psychological and chemical changes that occur during the treatment.
Our previous studies on mental and nervous diseases have been concerned mainly with the physicochemical changes that occur in the blood serum during the different stages of acute insanities. With this previous experience we thought it of interest to study the changes that may occur during the shock treatment with insulin.
The method of treatment is, with slight modifications, essentially that suggested by Sakel. 2
In the present communication we shall not be concerned with the clinical results or changes in the individuals treated, but exclusively with the changes observed at different periods of the treatment. This report includes the result of 23 different days of treatment of 8 patients. The bloods were taken during fasting (i. e., before the insulin was given), during the coma or deep shock, and finally 15 to 20 minutes after the administration of glucose intravenously, given to terminate the shock or coma. At the same time that blood was taken for the study of the proteins, a sample of oxalated blood was also taken to determine the amount of glucose.
The methods used in this study are the same as those reported previously. 3
We notice a change in the specific gravity at the time of the coma, which continues after termination. This increase we attribute to dehydration, which is probably due to the marked perspiration before the patient gets into shock. This loss of water can easily account for this change in the specific gravity.
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