Alterations of intracranial tension by salt solutions in the alimentary canal

Abstract

In two interesting and suggestive papers1 Weed and McKibben demonstrated the significant physiological fact that it is possible to reduce the cerebrospinal fluid pressure and diminish the bulk of the brain by injecting a hypertonic solution into the blood stream. Conversely they found that hypotonic solutions had the opposite effect: a rise of cerebrospinal fluid pressure and an increase of brain bulk. In the course of our studies their work has been repeated and their general conclusions confirmed.The clinical bearing of these facts is obvious. Particularly they concern the states commonly referred to as “pressure symptoms.” By similar methods it has been found possible to secure these same results in patients with increased degrees of intracranial tension. It was felt that the undesirable effects on pulse, respiration and blood pressure of such intravenous injections might contraindicate their use. For this reason the effects of gastrointestinal doses of hypertonic solutions were studied.In a large seri...