Polycythemia Vera

In April, 1928, I1reported a case of polycythemia vera which had been under observation and treatment with phenylhydrazine hydrochloride for three and one-half years and drew the following tentative conclusions from my experience with this case: The erythrocyte count may be kept near normal limits by the periodic administration of 2.1 Gm. of phenylhydrazine hydrochloride divided into daily doses of 0.1 Gm. each. The drug may then be safely discontinued for intervals of one and one-half months. No apparent tolerance to the drug was acquired. The increase in leukocytes may possibly be used as an index to the administration of the drug. No apparent deleterious effect on the liver was observed. Treatment of this patient for the first six months consisted of the removal of three infected teeth, the administration of splenic extract and benzene by mouth, and roentgen therapy to the long bones. Under this treatment the