COMPARISON OF SCOPOLAMINE HYDROBOMIDE AND DRAMAMINE IN THE TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF AIRSICKNESS,

Previous studies have shown the value of scopolamine hydrobromide in the prevention and treatment of airsickness, and of dramamine in the prevention of seasickness. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of dramamine in the case of airsickness, with scopolamine hydrobromide as a criterion. Students suffering from airsickness during flight training were used as subjects. A criterion group of fifty were given a standard dose of scopolamine and an experimental group of fifty were given identical-appearing capsules containing a standard dose of dramamine. The two groups were taken in roughly random order as they reported to the flight surgeon for help, and no subject knew what medication was being used. If a student eventually discontinued treatment and was able to continue flight training without further airsickness in the primary and basic phase of his training, he was classed as a successful case. Others were recorded as failures. Follow-up contacts were made to obtain an accurate record of success or failure in each case. Such imbalance of known factors as chanced to occur between the two groups were found, if anything, to foreordain that the criterion group on scopolamine would respond the more readily, other things being equal. However, the subjects in the experimental groups on dramamine responded with equal success. Such minor side effects as were reported suggest the need for future research on the size of the dose needed for beneficial results. A study of the relative merits of these drugs in preventing airsickness on protracted flights is also recommended. Author