A followup study of 87 cases of dementia praecox one to four years after treatment with insulin hypoglycemic therapy

Abstract

1. The number of cases in this study is so small that no great significance can be placed on the subdivisions as to duration of psychosis into which the statistics are broken down. 2. It would seem that some significance might be attached to figures embracing the groups as a whole which deal with improvement of a greater or lesser degree. The same might be said of those embracing unimprovement. 3. Considerable variance exists between figures obtained by investigators who have attempted to compile statistics for the preinsulin era with which to compare results obtained by the use of hypoglycemic therapy. Some figures, when compared with data such as that compiled in Table 3, place insulin hypoglycemic therapy in a favorable light; others tend to discredit this particular form of treatment. 4. It would seem that standard requirements of research should be designated by suitable authorities so that the same type of investigation under nearly identical conditions could be carried out with material available in the preshock and postshock treatment eras. In this way, comparisons could be made which would show with some degree of accuracy the relative value of newer and older methods of treatment.