PULMONARY EDEMA AND EMBOLISM: AS COMPLICATIONS OF INSULIN SHOCK IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

In the published reports dealing with the insulin treatment of schizophrenia the tendency has been to stress indications, contraindications, methods and results. This procedure has tended to place before the physician a new instrument for his armamentarium without warning him of the dangers except to give statistically the mortality rate. Because the mortality rate is low and because the disease is so hopeless that almost any method offering help is welcome, the dangers have not been sufficiently explained. This report is offered in the belief that more benefit is at present to be derived from a citation of difficulties than from addition of material to the already large literature on methods and results. Before presentation of cases a brief review of the circumstances leading to serious complications should be given. Good clinical results from the treatment depend on, though they are not directly proportional to, a certain severity or depth