In general

the conditions of patients with senile chronic bronchitis are likely to be worsened with increasing age. From 1973

using "kidney tonics" as a prophylactic measure

34 patients with an average age of 52 and course of 18 years

treatments were given for 6 mouths per year for 3 successive years. The follow-up period was 5-years. The result showed that the 3-years clinical cure rate was 28.1％; the rate of 2-years excellent result

marked improvement and improvement were 12.5％

21.95％

31.3％ respectively

and the total effective rate was 93.8％. Two of them died of cancer. Obviously

the "kidney tonics" can improve the therapeutic result in the long run. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis （blood 11-hydroxycorticosterone diurnal rhythm

plasma ACTH estimation

and 2-days A CTH infusion test） of two patients

one with good and the other with poor therapeutic result were examined. By comparing the results of the two patients

we found that the "kidney tonics" is not the only chief measure for obtaining such long term therapeutic effect in chronic bronchitis

but the principle of "warming the kidney" is also an important key link for it.