Evening star., 1938-12-01
ConvuIsion-Producing Drug
Used to Treat Neurosis
Apparent Success in 1870 Of Coses Reported
BY George Washington Doctors

Several such cases have been treated
but apparently larger dose is re-
quired to produce results than in
other forms of the malady. Another
common form is that of extreme de-
preston. Several such cases have
been treated with apparent success.
80 Patients Treated.
The two physicians have already
given the treatment to 30 patients.
In three cases they used the insulin
convulsion method, in which spasms
are produced by heavy doses of the
hormone used to decrease the sugar
in the blood in diabetes. Insulin
has proved more successful than
metrazol in treatment Of dementia
praecox and seemed to be equally
successful In clearing up the neu-
roses. The insulin treatment, how
ever, is much more complicated and
the George Washington physicians
believe it is hardly suited for clinic
patients unless metra1ol proves a
complete failure.
The physiological action of both
drugs on the brain is unknown.
Physicians have been unable to find
any physiological basis for the
neurotic conditions. so the treat
ment resolves into fighting one un-
known with another unknown. The
effect of both drugs seems to be
essentially the same.
The one great common factor,
said DR.. Simon, in telling of the
progress Of the treatments at St.
Eizabeth's, seems to be the intense
fear of death and sensation OF dy-
ing. This seems to ooze up from
the subconscious depths of the pa
tents mind. While there is no
consciousness during the shocks
themselves and patients have no
memory of what has happened, there
apparently is . terrible subcon-
scious experience. One possibility
Is that the victims are literally
scared back to normal. 1t has been
noted for years, DR.. Simon said, that
when a dementia praecox patient
was placed in great fear Of death, as
by = very severe illness or surgical
operation, complete recovery some
times followed.
Fear Grows More Intense.
The fear grows more intense, Drs.
Freeman and Shapiro reported, as
the mental condition of the neurosis
victim improves. This brings about
one of the greatest difficulties in the
out-patient treatment. Patients are
more and more loath to return for
another shock and sometimes all the
urgings Of the physicians and their
relatives cannot prevail on them to
do 60, although the treatment was
accompanied by no physical pain
whatever. In the mental hospital
the patients are much more under
the control of the doctors and once
the treatments have started they
have little choice but to continue
them.
While the metrazol shock is ter
rifying in its appearance, DR.. Simon
said, no bad results have yet ap-
peared at St. Elizabeth's. Metrazol
diffuses rapidly in the blood and is
eliminated quickly. Because of this,
Drs. Freeman and Shapiro have
found it perfectly safe to give a
second dose in Is minutes, If the
flrst one fails to produce q convul-
sion. The greatest danger appears
to be from dislocated shoulders and
Jaws. due to the violent movements
during the course of the convulsion.
Able e-bodied attendants must be
constantly on hand to prevent a
patient from injuring himself. With
an arrangement Of separate booths
at the George washington clinic, so
that one patient cannot see the
commissions Of another, 1t is possible
to give the treatment to several at
the same time.