Convulsive shock therapy in affective psychoses.

Archive film shot at Bishop Clarkson Memorial Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska with Dr A. E. Bennett. Intertitles note the favourable results in treating schizophrenia by Meduna's convulsive shock therapy, particularly effective in treating depression in middle and old age. Illustrative cases are provided with patients seen before and after treatment (no treatment is actually shown until the end of the film). The first patient, a 61 year old female patient looks fretful and agitated; she puts her arms around the nurse and is tearful and distressed. Several weeks later she is seen smiling and relaxed. A 42 year old is even more despondent; she has 8 shocks and then after 14, she is discharged home (her 2 teenage sons pose next to her). The third patient, also female is seen - morose and despondent. She has three weeks of insulin treatment and gains weight. After treatment she sits crocheting. A 52 year old man is markedly improved after treatment. A 58 year old with depressive psychosis and a family history of suicide sits rocking and pulling his hair out. He had 13 shocks before recovery. A female patient receives metrazol after curare (relaxants) and she is seen convulsing. Another patient who is admiitted afer a suicide attempt is markerdly agitated. She is treated with an electrical wishbone instrument to her temples; she is miraculously cured.