Trial of thyroid in 130 patients whose insanity was definitely making no prog ress toward recovery under the methods adopted in the asylum, or whose insanity was becoming chronic or incurable. Each patient was put to bed during the period of experiment, and was given a staple diet sufficient to maintain body-weight at its usual level, the administration of the extract beginning on the fifth day. The patient was weighed weekly during treatment and for a month after. The urine was regularly examined and the urea was estimated by the hypobromite method. The phosphates in the urine were determined by the uranium method. The thyroid extract was administered in 130 cases of insanity (45 males and 35 females) with the following results: Where large doses were given there fol lowed pyrexia in most of the cases to a slight or moderate degree. Loss of weight was a constant symptom, also increased sweating, pains, and tinglings in various parts of the body, and a slight or moderate degree of exaltation, or rest lessness. There was tachycardia in most cases, and the respirations were increased by about six per minute. Appetite and
thirst increased, and in females menstru ation was made more profuse than usual. Urea and nitrogenous products were in creased in the urine, showing an en hanced metabolic activity. Slight transi tory albuminuria was found in 10 per cent. of the cases. In moderate and small doses the above results were pres ent in a correspondingly less degree, and it was concluded that the thyroid ex tract acted as a powerful metabolic (katabolic) stimulant. The patients in cluded five idiots and imbeciles, seven pubescent or adolescent cases, and cases of mania, melancholia, myxcedema, alco holic and general paralytic insanity, etc.
Of a total of 130 patients, 12 recovered, 29 were improved, and SO were unim proved. The recoveries included 4 cases of stupor, 3 of puerperal mania, 1 of lac tational melancholia, 1 of myxcedema, 1 of simple melancholia, and 2 of climac teric melancholia. These patients also improved physically. The threatened attacks of foils circulaire were aborted by thyroid administration. C. C. Easter brook (Lancet, Aug. 25, 1900).