Treatment of Status Asthmaticus by Hypnosis.

case on November 7, 1958, with a six-years' history of asthma and gradually increasing breathlessness on exertion. The family history revealed asthma in his sister and his daughter. Over the past year he had suffered from midsternal pain on exertion, relieved by rest, nocturia, and swelling of the ankles. For two days before admission his asthma became increasingly severe, having been precipitated by foggy weather. On examination hz was found to be obese, very cyanosed, severely dyspnoeic, with continual wheezing and a productive cough. Sputum was greenish yellow and contained many pus cells. Numerous coarse rales were heard in all areas of the chest. Pulse rate 100 a minute, blood-pressure 148/90; otherwise no physical abnormality could be found. X-ray examination of chest showed increased shadowing of right basal area suggestive of a recent inflammatory process. The lungs were emphysematous with some prominence of the hila, indicating chronic bronchitis. E.C.G. normal. Hb, 100%; W.B.C., 13,800 (60% polymorphs, 37% nonsegmented-no increase in eosinophils); film normal; E.S.R., 12 mm. After treatment with penicillin, 500,000 units q.i.d. aminophylline intravenously and oxtriphylline (" choledyl ") 20 mg. q.i.d., slow improvement occurred. The bronchospasm took about a week to settle and the sputum became mucoid. He was discharged home on December 7 on a maintenance dose of oxtriphylline 200 mg. q.i.d. He was readmitted to hospital on March 16, 1959. Since his discharge he had continued to be very breathless, particularly during the night, waking up with severe wheezing attacks.