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The early history of convulsive therapies in Australia
Author(s) -
Mitchell Philip B,
Sengoz Ayse
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1995.tb124773.x
Subject(s) - electroconvulsive therapy , mainstream , medicine , shock therapy , convulsive therapy , psychiatry , psychology , political science , law , cognition , politics
The early experience of convulsive therapies in Australia was reported in the Medical Journal of Australia from 1935 to 1950. Cardiazol convulsive therapy, first used in Australia in 1937, appears to have been widely employed. Electroconvulsive therapy, first used here in 1941, rapidly became accepted as a mainstream treatment. Early response rates are discussed, as well as Australian adaptations of European techniques. Clinicians of the day considered the use of these procedures carefully and were circumspect about their future role.