FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRIC SHOCK TREATMENT OF PSYCHOSES

Abstract

A small number of deaths due to electric shock have been reported in the literature since the introduction of electrotherapy. Kolb and Vogel¹ estimated a death rate of 0.05 per cent in 7,207 cases, and Impastato and Almansi,² a mortality rate of 0.8 per cent in 11,000 cases. As a rule, death is due to a defect in some organ other than the brain—usually the heart—which is aggravated by the convulsive treatment. However, some deaths are completely unexplainable. Impastato and Almansi,² Ziegler³ and Ebaugh and his associates⁴ reported cases in which failure of the heart played the deciding role. Cash and Hoekstra⁵ and Ebaugh and associates⁴ recorded fatalities in cases in which curare was given before the electric convulsion. Cash and Hoekstra⁵ stated that death came suddenly, about two hours after the treatment, and was probably of cardiac origin. Ebaugh and associates