| Early Treatments for Parkinson's: Before L-DOPA... |
| In 1918, Osler's textbook of medicine described some of the early treatments for PD. He stated, "There is no method which can be reccomendeed as satisfactory in any respect. Arsenic, opium, hyoscine and the extract of the parathyroid gland may be tried and sometimes give relief, but are not curative. The friends should be told frankly that the disease is incurable, and that nothing can be done except to attend to the physical comforts of the patient. Regulated and systemized exercises should be carried out." Hyoscine was effective in relieving the tremor and rigidity seen in PD, but produced adverse side effects such as visual distrubances, dryness of mouth, confusion, and visual hallucinations. Stramonium was used for post-encephalitic parkinsonism, as well as atropine. These drugs had a positive effect on parkinsonian symptoms, but tolerance was a problem, as well as tachycardia and constipation. |
| References: Purdon-Martin, J. (1973) "'Pre-Dopa' Medical Treatment." in Advances in Neurology. Caine, D.B. (Ed.) New York, NY: Raven Press Publishers. |