A CONSIDERABLE body of evidence now exists showing that hematologic and chemical changes indicative of alterations in function of the adrenal cortex occur in patients receiving shock treatment for psychosis.1 Published data on the excretion of 17-ketosteroids are somewhat discordant, in part because of the fragmentary nature of the observations; and therefore it seemed desirable to make a study of the changes which occur over a long period of time during the treatment of patients given psychotherapy, ambulatory insulin therapy or electric shock therapy.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The patients studied during treatment are described in the accompanying table. Urine was collected for several days before and for varying periods during and after treatment. Other patients were studied during periods of one to three days while not receiving treatment. Urine was collected in each case for a succession of twenty-four hour periods. Collections of urine were discarded when found on