The Role of Vitamin B1 in Delirium Tremens

Vitamin B 1 has been used in the treatment of peripheral neuritis of origin with encouraging results. Prior to the recognition of the role played by vitamins, in the alcohol addict was usually attributed to the direct toxic action of alcohol. Since Shattuck 1 in 1928 first called attention to the occurrence of beriberi in persons with chronic alcoholism, syphilis, carcinoma and chronic debilitating diseases, the term alcoholic polyneuritis has been gradually discarded in favor of a more inclusive and general conception.. Since the work of Shattuck, Wechsler 2 and Minot and his associates 3 have pointed out that avitaminosis probably plays an important role in the production of this type of polyneuritis. Goodhart and Jolliffe 4 reached the conclusions that ( a ) vitamin B 1 deficiency is the primary cause in the alcohol addict, and ( b ) improvement in the objective signs of of this form varies directly