SummaryClinical experience of lorazepam (2.5 mg.) as a hypnotic, compared with amylobarbitone sodium (200 mg.) is described in 12 elderly demented patients. The results suggest that 2.5 mg. lorazepam is a very effective hypnotic in the elderly but that a lower dosage is advisable because of the high incidence of post-hypnotic sedation.In order to determine the dependence liability, a small study on 16 in-patients receiving single doses of 2.5 mg. lorazepam at night revealed no side-effects attributable to abrupt withdrawal of the drug after 2 to 3-week periods of continuous use in this dosage.Clinical impressions gained over a period of time in treating patients with neurotic disorders suggest that 1 mg. lorazepam t.d.s. is most closely comparable to diazepam in 5 mg. dosage, but somewhat less likely to cause over-sedation in anxious patients. It is considered, however, that this 1 to 5 ratio is not necessarily reproduceable in terms of simple sedative effects at higher dose levels, e.g. 2.5 mg. lorazepam appears to be a more effective hypnotic than 12.5 mg. diazepam. It is concluded that lorazepam must be regarded as an important addition to the range of drugs used in the treatment of neurotic disorders.