Motor Phenomena During Nitrogen Inhalation

Himwich, Alexander and Lipetz,1reasoning that the effects of insulin and metrazol treatments in cases of schizophrenia are due to a common factor, namely, the production of cerebral anoxia, introduced the nitrogen inhalation therapy. They have already described the manifestations occurring during this type of treatment. We are interested in more detailed observations of the neurologic phenomena evidenced during this procedure, especially the motor sequence. MATERIAL AND METHOD The procedure of Alexander and Himwich2was initiated at Bellevue Hospital by Bowman, Green and Adriani, who will report on the clinical findings. The technic, except for minor variations, is essentially the same. The apparatus consists of an anesthesia mask, which is connected in series to a canister of soda lime and a breathing bag. The oxygen is supplied by means of an ordinary gas machine, and the nitrogen is delivered from a large tank of commercial gas. The carbon