THE BLOOD SUGAR CURVE IN MENTAL DISEASE

Abstract

In a previous communication the results of a study of the blood sugar curve in epidemic encephalitis¹have been reported. The aim of the present article is to discuss in a similar manner the significance of the sugar curve in cases belonging to the schizophrenic group (dementia praecox). In these cases a tendency toward a low metabolic rate has been demonstrated.²The study of the sugar curve was undertaken to see if the low basal metabolism was reflected in the sugar metabolism as judged by the glucose tolerance tests. The correlation that Janney and Isaacson³have found between these two factors in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism has not been possible in this study. All the curves studied in this laboratory have been carried out according to the technic of Janney and Isaacson. The blood sugar determination was done according to the method of Folin and Wu.⁴We