Relative effects of phenobarbital and sodium bromide as anticonvulsants in epileptic psychoses

Summary

• 1. The anticonvulsant effect of phenobarbital, sodium bromide, and alternating doses of the two drugs was studied in a group of women suffering from epileptic psychoses of several years duration.

• 2. Bromism was encountered as a complication when sodium bromide grs. 30 b. i. d. was given regularly.

• 3. Approximately the same reduction in seizures was obtained by using phenobarbital grs. 1 in the morning and sodium bromide grs. 30 in the afternoon, no toxic symptoms ensuing.

• 4. The reduction obtained in grand mal convulsions was 44.9 per cent on the routine of alternate doses of phenobarbital and sodium bromide as compared with phenobarbital alone. This occurred in 85 per cent of a group of 40 patients.