FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE USE OF ADRENAL CORTEX EXTRACT IN THE PSYCHOTIC AND NON-PSYCHOTIC PATIENT

Abstract

IN A PREVIOUS COMMUNICATION (i) the author pointed out the therapeutic effects of adrenal cortex extract on the psychotic patient, and indicated a close causal relationship between physical and mental health. The author has seen no results in the patient which would tend to corroborate the work of Ingle et al. (2) who obtained atrophy of the adrenal cortex by giving large amounts of cortin and the active principle to rats. They gave from 2.0 to 10.0 cc. daily; or an equivalent of 700 to 3,500 cc. to a 150 lb. person. Various noxious substances may cause atrophy of the adrenal cortex (3,4), and such doses may be noxious to the rat. Small doses of extract may be beneficial to the overloaded adrenal cortex by permitting an opportunity for rest and regeneration. The clinical course of many patients treated by the author would indicate that this had occurred.