Abstract
Pulmonary vagotonia is regarded as the fundamental cause of asthma, both allergic and non-allergic. It is heightened by hyperactivity of both the carotid body and carotid sinus reflexes. Although this hyperactivity is usually reversible in most cases of asthma, it is irreversible in some intractable cases. The irrever-sibility of both hyperactive reflexes that may be proved by the NaCN-test and pressure upon the carotid sinus provides a reliable criterion for the utility of glomectomy and/or carotid sinus denervation. Since the pulmonary vagotonia is usually too stubborn to be eradicated merely by such surgery, much cannot be expected therefrom. Therefore, surgical treatments are indicated only in such intractable cases where the disease has resisted all the internal treatments excepting the use of corticosteroid. To make the effect of surgery last long and to further improve the disease or to treat unimproved patients, non-specific treatment such as mechanical or inflammatory stimulation to the skin is recommendable because it usually improves effectively the pulmonary vagotonia. Even when asthmatic attacks have disappeared completely after the surgery, the rubbing of the whole body surface should be practiced until the effectiveness of the treat-ment can be established.
