Among 583 patients hospitalized in the psychiatric clinic of our General Hospital over a period of one year, 88 cases received Tofranil—EST mixed therapy. Before reporting any results, the clinicians wanted to clarify the General term “Depression”. According to the usual symptomatology, they classify depressive reactions in two groups: the primary endogenous depression, named “melancholia” since Hippocrates, and the depressive reaction resulting from one or many internal or external stresses, taking account of an already neurotic or psychoneurotic personality. Results were excellent in the first category of depression: 80% of cure among 21 cases of melancholia—Tofranil alone was given in 4×0% of the cases—the other 40% received from 6 to 8 EST. With respect to the second category Tofranil helped the efficiency and acceptance of psychotherapy. Withdrawal of the reactional depressive state was noted in 24 among 67 cases; in 20 other patients, there was marked improvement. In almost every case, minor secondary effects were noted: perspiration, dryness of the mouth, oliguria, itching, disagreeable effects due to the atropinic effects of the drug; these effects are rather well tolerated if the patient is told about it and they do not interfere with continuing the treatment. On the other hand major complications might oblige to discontinue completely the treatment, namely the suicidal attempt more because of the disparition of inhibition which looks like an after-effect of Tofranil; other major complications are the maniac reaction and the epileptic fit. Those major complications are rare, we can state that Tofranil is a precious thymoleptic of great interest in hospitalized cases. With the necessary care it may often eliminate the EST or almost always reduce their number. We repeat that a very serious observation is necessary at the start of the cure to be prepared to deal with the consequences of the always possible secondary effects.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.