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Report on 441 cases treated with metrazol

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Conclusions

  1. I.

    These results with metrazol therapy in schizophrenia have been much poorer than the results observed by many other authors. This may be due to the indiscriminate choice of patients, the lack of facilities for intensive psychotherapy, and the overenthusiasm of early observers in interpreting their results.

  2. II.

    Metrazol therapy gave no better results in this series than most observers have seen in nonspecifically treated cases. In many instances, the results with the latter method were much better.

  3. III.

    Metrazol therapy has many inherent dangers, some of which are now known. It took four years to find such a simple condition as a fractured dorsal vertebra. In addition, there have been complicating fractures, dislocations, torn muscles and bronchopneumonia.

  4. IV.

    Some cases of schizophrenia have shown dramatic improvement with metrazol therapy. It is difficult to predict which would show such improvement. It is apparent that in isolated instances and early in the disease, improvement may occur shortly after treatment. In some of these same cases, late followup results have shown regression to the original psychotic condition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rockland State Hospital, Orangeburg, N. Y.

    Simon Kwalwasser M. D.

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  1. Simon Kwalwasser M. D.
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Read before the Psychiatric Society of the Metropolitan State Hospitals, April 1, 1940.

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Kwalwasser, S. Report on 441 cases treated with metrazol. Psych Quar 14, 527–546 (1940). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01573135

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