A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HYPOGLYCEMIC SHOCK TREATMENT AND CONTROL OBSERVATION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

A group of 100 patients of the predominantly chronic type of schizophrenia, equally divided by sex, underwent a course of hypoglycemic shock treatment while 69 patients—36 men and 33 women—were observed as controls. Fifteen other patients, eight men and seven women have improved spontaneously while in preparation for treatment. The report is based on the state of the patients eight months to two years after termination of treatment or control observation. Various degrees of improvement took place in 36 per cent of the treated patients, a lower percentage than generally reported. The percentage of improvement in the control group was 21.7. The percentage of improvement in the combined control and spontaneously improved group was 35.7 or about the same as in the treated group. Relapses took place in 47 per cent of the treated patients, in 33.3 per cent of control cases and in 24 per cent of the combined control and spontaneously improved patients. The treatment was the cause of death in 3 per cent of cases....