THE TREATMENT OF POLYCYTHEMIA VERA (ERYTHREMIA) WITH PHENYLHYDRAZINE

INTRODUCTION  The use of phenylhydrazine as a therapeutic agent followed its use experimentally in producing hepatic lesions, when destruction of the erythrocytes was noted. Hoppe-Seyler¹ in 1885 was the first to employ hydrazine experimentally in animals, and in 1908 Morawitz and Pratt² used it specifically for the purpose of producing experimental anemia in animals. Eppinger and Kloss³ in 1918 were the first to apply it clinically in cases of polycythemia vera. They observed a fall in the erythrocytes and hemoglobin, mild jaundice and dark urine. Taschenberg⁴ reported details of the treatment of a woman with polycythemia vera. The patient had splenomegaly; the hemoglobin was 140 per cent, and the erythrocytes numbered 8,500,000 for each cubic millimeter. She was given a total of 3 Gm. of phenylhydrazine hydrochloride over a period of thirteen days, and a year later 4.25 Gm. in twenty-one days, with definite effect on the blood and the