AUTOHEMO FOR HYPERTENSION; INTRASPINAL - 53B7

<br>

  Noting that "many hypertensive patients who sustain a severe

cerebro-vascular accident and survive, eventually develop a

normal blood pressure", Heimark and Parsons, 1953 [53B7], tried

"beating the hypertensive cerebro-vascular accident to the draw,

so to speak."  The authors reviewed many known facts concerning

blood in the spinal fluid: The presence of blood in the cerebro-

spinal fluid after accidents; occasional accidental entry of


blood into the spinal canal during spinal punctures; the fact

that "Medical as well as neurological textbooks describe no

pathology, nor entity, nor syndrome that is attributed to a

bloody spinal fluid 'perse'; and further, discussions "with able

cliniicians, neurologists and a neuro-pathologist" all of whom

"could not recall any residual pathology produced by blood in the

spinal canal 'perse'.  With this background, two patients were

each given four intraspinal injections of whole blood: 1, 1, 2,

and 4cc; the second patient received a fifth injection of 5cc. 

In all cases the blood was withdrawn from the arm and rapidly

injected.

<br>

  "The followup in Case 1 was not too satisfactory.  On July 30,

1952, when the patient reported to the office, her blood pressure

was 200/106.  On Sept. 30, 1952, it was 190/96.  No further

readings have been recorded.  she volunteered the information she

felt so different that she believed it was not necessary to

report further."

<br>

  In the case of the second patient, her blood pressure readings

were not appreciably lowered, except that there was "very marked

reduction in the nervous tension as well as increased calm so

very noticeable in her behavior. ...

<br>

  "the one observation that really stimulated us to report these

two cases was the very noticeable calm and absence of tension in

both of the patients following the treatment."