Thiouracil Treatment of Thyrotoxicosis

DURING the last two and a half years thiouracil1 has been used in this clinic in the treatment of 247 patients with thyrotoxicosis. Previous reports (4–6) have dealt chiefly with the early results of therapy in some of the patients.2 The extension of the studies to a larger number of patients and over a longer period of time has indicated more clearly what can be expected from the use of thiouracil, the good and bad effects, particularly with regard to prolonged treatment. The results are presented in this and in the succeeding paper. The patients treated were unselected. Some individuals were referred for thiouracil therapy because other types of treatment had been unsuccessful. Some were referred because of the mildness of the disease and others because of its severity, but in most cases there was no special consideration of the severity of the disease.