Show HEALTH ALTH 0 treatment may replace insulin shocks in treating mentally ill I 1 sy by dr lames james W barton J WHEN aso HEN a leg or arm is so badly injured or poisoned that life is threatened the patients family does not hesitate to permit it to be removed by surgery when the mind is so badly afflicted that the patient is unable to take his place in the community and the physician wishes to use the new treatment large doses of insulin that causes shock which is sometimes followed by a cure the family are often afraid to permit their loved one to undergo this method of treatment despite brilliant results in many cases cages there have likewise been many failures and also other cases where t the h e improvement lasted but a short time the most satisfactory results have dr barton been obtained where the mental symptoms have existed tor for months instead of years what may prove effective in the treatment of these mental or behavior cases is a heart and lung stimulant which is now being tested in various parts of the world dr A M wyllie in glasgow medical journal reports his bis results in a series of 20 cases of dementia praecox these patients live in a persistent dream state which totally unfits them for the work cares and duties of life their scheme or system of life satisfies them however test cases show improvement there were 8 women and 12 men in dr wallies Wyl lies series of cases and physical improvement was observed in 17 those that were very much underweight gained weight rapidly gaining from 14 to 21 pounds in two months their appetites improved and their complexions completions complex ions became healthier thise these 17 patients also showed mental improvement that is they showed more common sense more ability to face the real facts of life one patient who had been mute for 10 years was enabled to speak the others became less absorbed in themselves and spoke more freely some of the patients who were previously idle were induced to occupy themselves A patient with profound melancholia greatly improved two with persistent stupor showed slight improvement I 1 am recording the above results so that families and patients themselves may be willing to undergo this treatment if so advised by their physicians it is certainly worth wh while ile owing to the simplicity and safety of the treatments treatment it may replace treatment by insulin shock copyright service |