1079 HOT CHICKEN SOUP FOR ASTHMA

SIR,-Dr Anderson and colleagues (Sept. 22, p. 629) report efficacy of hot humid air in the prevention of severe exer-

the

cise-induced asthma. It is

humidity

is

not

clear whether the heat

or

the

responsible for the beneficial effect and whether or

the imbibition of hot water would have a similar effect. Saketkhoo and others’ lately demonstrated that hot chicken soup significantly increases nasal mucus velocity. They noted :bat transport of nasal secretions serves as a first line of host defence in the removal of pathogens. Drinking cold water suppresses nasal mucus velocity whereas hot liquids transiently increase velocity, primarily through inhalation of water vapour. Hot chicken soup seems to have an additional substance for increasing the nasal mucus velocity-perhaps an aromatic compound that acts on the nasal mucosa via the posterior pharynx or through a mechanism related to taste. Whether this mechanism can also explain the efficacy of hot humid air in the prevention of exercise-induced asthma remains to be seen. In the twelfth century, Moses Maimonides recommended hot chicken soup as an effective remedy for asthma.2 Maimonides also describes the therapeutic efficacy of chicken and other fowl for various other ailments. For example, chicken soup rectifies corrupted humours,3,4 neutralises a faulty body constitution,s aids in convalescence from illness,5 is beneficial against leprosy,3.’ and serves as an excellent food and medication. The consumption of fowl, continues Maimonides, is beneficial for feebleness, hemiplegia, facial paresis, and the pain of oedema, and increases sexual potential. The above data of Anderson et al. and of Saketkhoo et al. lend scientific respectability to the Jewish mother’s longstanding contention that chicken soup, also known as Jewish peninot

cillin or Bohbymycetinhelps infection.

cure an

upper

Queens Hospital Center Affiliation of the Long Island Jewish-Hillside Medical Center, Jamaica, N.Y, 11432, U.S.A.

respiratory

tract

FRED ROSNER

TSH RESPONSES TO TRH IN WOMEN WITH UNIPOLAR AND BIPOLAR DEPRESSION

SIR,-Dr Gold and colleagues (Aug. 25, p. 411) reported lower TSH responses to TRH in unipolar than in bipolar depression, whereas Dr Bj0rum and Dr Kirkegaard (Sept. 29, p. 694) found no such difference. However, neither study had proper controls (non-psychiatrically ill subjects) and ovarian status was not considered as a possible source of variance. We report here our findings in 58 female depressive patients (31 unipolar and 27 bipolar) matched for age and sex with 42 normal female controls. 27 premenopausal (15 unipolar and 12 bipolar) and 31 postmenopausal (12 unipolar and 19 bipolar) female patients were studied during a depressive episode severe enough to warrant hospital admission. Psychiatric diagnoses were made according to the criteria of Feighner et aLl Normal controls were 31 premenopausal and 21 postmenopausal women. The TRH test (200 fLg) was performed after a washout period of seven days. All patients were tested before, and some 1. Saketkhoo K. Janaszkiewicz A, Sackner MA. Effects of drinking hot water, cold water, and chicken soup on nasal mucus velocity and nasal airflow

resistance. Chest 1978; 74: 408-10. writings of Moses Maimonides. Treatise

2. Muntner S. The medical

on

UU

JU

U

1.

UV

MINUTES

Fig. I-TSH

ILV IcV

V v

:J’W N

UV w

ILU ico

response in

premenopausal patients and controls. 8=before treatment; O=after treatment. Vertical bars, SEMs.

MINUTES

FIG. 2-TSH response in

Symbols

as

postmenopausal patients

and controls.

in fig 1.

tested after, treatment which consisted of amitriptyline 75-300 mg per day. Blood was sampled at -15, 0, +20, 30, 45, 60, and 120 min. The TSH response to TRH was calculated as the integrated secretion above baseline in ng/120 min. The groups studied did not differ in respect of TSH, T3, and T4 levels. Before treatment, the TSH response to TRH was significantly lower in the unipolar and bipolar patients (t=3.08, p