Effect of Morphine on Diuresis

Abstract

To the Editor: I agree that the article, "Controlled Study Comparing Ethacrynic Acid to Mercaptomerin in the Treatment of Acute Pulmonary Edema," by Lesch et al. (N.E.J.M. 279:115–122, 1968) contributed an abundance of information about comparative diuretic effects of ethacrynic acid and mercaptomerin. However, I believe that the editorial comments on the article do require further remarks in rebuttal.Diuretic responses are rarely predictable in an exact amount unless a strictly controlled situation is present. Certainly, this is not so in one case of pulmonary edema vs another. It was for this reason that we used a standard salt-loading . . .