Electrical Convulsion Therapy in the Treatment of Epilepsy

Abstract

The idea of trying to replace the irregular major fits of epilepsy by convulsions, artificially induced under controlled conditions of time and place, is an eminently reasonable one; but there has so far been no systematic investigation of the therapeutic possibilities of this procedure. The present work, which has been carried out over a period of two years, is intended to clear the ground for such a study; and this report includes an account of the effect of electrical convulsion therapy not only on the frequency of the fits, but also on the psychotic symptoms which were associated with the epilepsy in many of the patients.