Evening star., 1942-01-15
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
BIZ Thomas r. Henri.

And Study
By Thomas r. Henry.
Navy doctors are experimenting with
new treatment for alcoholics with ex-
treme symptoms which has cut hospital
time in half, reduced the death rate from
delirium tremens from about IS per cent
to zero. and proved successful in the vast
majority of cases.
It has been tested on 100 patients at
the Philadelphia Naval Hospital. These
included q considerable number of vet
erans Of the last war sent to the hos
pital by the Veterans Administration.
The new treatment, which combines
several recent discoveries on the physio-
logical effects of alcohol on the brain
and central nervous system, has been
reported to the Bureau Of Medicine and
Surgery by It. E. L. Caveny Of the Navy
Medical Corps.
Orange juice, salt capsules. heavy doses
Of a combination Of vitamins, parable
hyde to calm the nerves, and forced
fluids are the chief elements of the
procedure.
It is not intended as a treatment for
alcoholism, per Sc. but for various con-
ditions due to an excess Of drinking,
such as delirium tremens, the peripheral
neuritis which results in a constant stag
gering gait, and extreme mental confu-
sion. 1t is good, 1t. Caveny says, for
every alcoholic manifestation.
First, he reports In the Naval Medical
Bulletin, alcohol is completely Withdrawn.
Even if the patient is violent, restraint
Is used only when absolutely necessary.
In his struggles to escape, 1t. Caveny
says. the victim augments some OF the
worst effects of the drink.
Instead sedatives are given After tests
with several OF them, the Navy doctors
have hit upon paraldehyde, frequently
administered in water, as the best
Recent experiments have shown that
alcohol markedly decreases the oxygen
consumption of the BRAIN This is largely
due to the replacement by the alcohol Of
the sugar which is the chief brain
nutrient. It is necessary to replace this
sugar as soon as possible
The best way to give the required
dextrose is in the form Of large guam
titles OF orange juice the Navy doctors
have found. This also contains adequate
amounts of vitamin c. which is prob-'
ably depleted in the alcoholics blood
stream.
There Is frequently depletion of blood
chlorides. Carbon dioxide is retained in
the blood. giving rise to an acccumula-
ton Of Tactic acid. This can be overcome
by giving salt capsults every four hours.
The next step is to stuff the patient
with vitamins in an experimentally de-
term1ned order. First to be given are
vltamin A, essential safeguard in COM
batting infections. and B-l, lack of
which Is largely responsible for the pe-
ripheral neuritis which is characteristic
OF many alcoholics. Heavy doses of this
vitamin are given by intravenous or in
tramuscular injection once a day for
the first Y to 10 days. Then they
are given by mouth two or three times
a day as long as the patient remains
in the hospital
Vltamin D, the sunshine vitamin. is
given twice a day Nicotine acid. the
antl-pellagra vitamin, is withheld for the
nrst three or four days. Patients do
not tolerate it well at first, the Navy
doctors have found. Then 1t is given in
fairly large doses every two hours
All the time there is forced adminis-
tration of fluids, If necessary by intra-
venous injection.
BY this combined treatment. reports
1t. Caveny. there has been a reduction
OF 50 per cent In the number of hos.
pltal days. Previously it was quite COM
mon Tor one of these cases to remain
IN the hospital for several months. Now
1t is rare for one to remain as long as
a month. The average period of hos
pltallzatlon Is now two weeks, compared
to one month by the previous treatment.
The alcoholic peripheral neuritis cases
remained in the hospital for months
under the old form of treatment. Now
advanced cases of this nature leave in
from six to eight weeks.
Until recently it was a common occur
renee to transfer patient with an alco-
holic mental disorder to a mental insti-
tuition because of no response to treat
ment over period of weeks. During
the past nine months 1t has been nee
essary to transfer only one case, which
failed to respond in four weeks.
There have hoop M JeotLs g..
series OF cases. When one considers that
the mortality rate of delirium tremens
Is usually given as from IS to 20 per cent,
this alone will show the success of this
method Of treatment"
Cites Biblical Story