USE OF CURARE IN OIL IN TREATMENT OF SPASTICITY FOLLOWING INJURY OF THE SPINAL CORD

Abstract

WEST,¹ Burman,² Bennett³ and others described the use of preparations of curare in treatment of various syndromes exhibiting spasticity, tremor and rigidity. They found that curare diminished hypertonia, tremor and involuntary movements. The clinical effect, however, was usually transient and therefore of questionable therapeutic value. Denhoff and Bradley,⁴ in a group of spastic children, found that the initial period of response to effective doses was characterized by masked facies, head drop and mental confusion. After these unpleasant reactions had worn off, the useful clinical effect became evident. These therapeutic experiments were carried out with aqueous solutions of the drug, used either intravenously or intramuscularly. In the present study a group of patients showing intense spasticity accompanying injury to the spinal cord were treated with aqueous solutions of curare. Eleven patients with extreme spasticity were chosen from a large group. Of these 11, 9 had complete paraplegia