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Cerebral Dysrhythmia Induced by Photic and Chemical Stimulation As a Method of Treatment in Psychiatry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2018

P. O'Flanagan
Affiliation:
From The Pastures Hospital, Mickleover, Derby
P. W. Smith
Affiliation:
From The Pastures Hospital, Mickleover, Derby
R. B. Taylor
Affiliation:
From The Pastures Hospital, Mickleover, Derby

Extract

Methods employed in convulsion therapy have undergone many changes since the development of this treatment by Meduna in 1933, using oil of camphor as the convulsive agent. More efficient analeptics such as cardiazol and ammonium chloride soon displaced camphor, and they in their turn have gradually, although not entirely, fallen out of favour since the introduction of electrically produced fits by Cerletti and Bini in 1938. Curarization as suggested by Bennett in 1940, has certainly minimized some of the dangers but, on the other hand, often requires more staff than are available if large numbers of patients are being treated in the one session. In addition, the mental confusion, frequently prolonged, following any form of full convulsion therapy, may give rise to difficulties of an administrative nature as, for example, in out-patient E.C.T. It is in order to minimize these disadvantages that an alternative method has been sought.

Type
Part I.—Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1950 

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