Recently the value of prolonged hypoglycemic coma in the treatment of schizophrenia has been emphasized.1 One of us (P. P.) and several co-workers2 have called attention to the frequent occurrence of vertebral fractures as a result of convulsions in the course of such treatment. The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether hypoglycemic shock itself, without prolonged coma, might be of benefit in the treatment of patients with mental disease.
The aim was to produce hypoglycemic symptoms as rapidly as possible and to observe whether the patient's behavior was altered. For this reason insulin was administered intravenously.
Since Lyman, Nicholls and McCann,3 in 1923, investigated the effects of intravenous administration of insulin on normal and diabetic subjects, there have been many experiments with the intravenous use of insulin, both in man and in various animals. Although most of these investigations have been concerned with the establishment of