THE EFFICACY of external electric countershock in the termination of ventricular tachycardia has been confirmed. These reports are concerned with medical patients in whom the arrhythmia varied in duration from 9 hours to 22 days, and circulatory collapse, congestive failure, and resistance to drug therapy called for more immediately effective measures. Our experience deals with a surgical patient whose arrhythmia occurred during the induction of anesthesia. Although shock was a prominent feature, congestive failure was not evident. The arrhythmia was of 2 hours' duration, and drug therapy had produced signs of toxicity. Since the patient was in the operating room and anesthetized, electric countershock could be applied without further preparation. Report of a Case A 62-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for reconstructive surgery of a hip. The history revealed 2 attacks of myocardial infarction, 9 and 6 years previously. When examined 3 weeks before admission, the patient was