Although insulin shock therapy has been widely accepted as an instrument in neuropsychiatric practice, knowledge is incomplete with regard to the physiology of the "shock" reaction. Beiglböck and Dussik,1 Gellhorn,2 Georgi3 and others have discussed many of the more pertinent aspects of the subject, which is too extensive to be reviewed here. Consideration of certain features of insulin shock, together with what is known of the "histamine effect," suggested an investigation of the histamine content of the blood in patients receiving insulin shock therapy.
STUDIES OF HISTAMINE4
The blood of 6 psychotic patients well advanced under insulin shock therapy was tested for histamine at appropriate intervals during various clinically recognizable phases5 of the hypoglycemic reaction. Venepunctures were done with reasonable care to avoid undue tissue injury. The tourniquet was always released before blood was withdrawn. Specimens were oxalated and refrigerated until extracted and assayed. Altogether,