Abstract
Serial immersion in a high sulfate hot spring was performed to psychosomatic patients four times daily for 10 days. Various hormones were measured and comparative studies were made before and after the serial immersion. The results were as follows: The basic secretions of TSH, T3, 11-OHCS, CA (Ad and NA) and gastrin decreased after serial immersion, but prolactin and GH secretions increased. There were increases in 11-OHCS, CA and gastrin with a single bathing. There was a major disruption in the circadian rhythm of 11- OHCS and its daytime secretion increased. From the above results, it appears that serial immersion in a high sulfate hot spring inhibits the secretion of hormones related to excitement of the sympathetic nervous system and increases secretion of hormones which bring about psychological stability. Therefore, psychosomatic patients are brought into a trophotropic state and cured. The “yuatari” or spa water stroke phenomenon can be considered to be the same as the alarm reaction of Selye, but only the results for CA supported this idea. However, it is possible that changes in other hormones will resemble those of CA if the number of immer-sions is increased. From the above results, it is evident that serial immersion in a high sulfate hot spring is a rational method of treating psychosomatic diseases from the endocrinological standpoint.
