Recent work, such as that of Moore and Martin (1957), has shown that reserpine is of value in the treatment of the chronic schizophrenic patient. Attention has however been drawn to the incidence of side-effects in this form of treatment. These side-effects have limited the application of the drug and have also led to the search for a related substance, of similar clinical effect but without the troublesome toxic effects. This present trial is of a substance, deserpidine (Harmonyl, Abbott Laboratories), which it was thought would fulfil these requirements. The isolation of this alkaloid was first reported in 1955 by Stoll and Hofman, and it has subsequently been identified as 11-desmethoxy-reserpine (Harrisson, 1955) which can be represented thus:
Emergency anaesthetic management of a severely anaemic, chronic schizophrenic patient with history of neuroleptic malignant syndrome
