The Effect of Sodium Chloride on Hypertension

In 1904, Ambard and Beaujard,1in France, put forth the claim that there was a direct relationship between the retention of sodium chloride and the level of arterial tension. This was followed by attempts on the part of French clinicians to treat patients with an elevated blood pressure by reducing the sodium chloride intake. In this country, Allen and his pupils have been the chief advocates of this method of treating hypertensive patients, while Mosenthal and his co-workers have led the opposition to this form of therapy. In 1922, Allen and Sherrill2reported on 180 cases of hypertension in which the patients were treated by close restriction of the sodium chloride intake. Fully normal blood pressure was restored in 18.9 per cent of these patients, while in 41.9 per cent there was sufficient improvement to regard the outcome as "a distinct therapeutic success." Transitory benefit followed by relapse or death