Therapeutic convulsions were introduced by Meduna (1937) in 1934. After preliminary trial with intramuscular camphorated oil, Meduna soon discovered the great advantages of intravenous cardiazol (leptazol, metrazol), which remains the best of the chemical methods of fit production. Many descriptions of the various aspects of the cardiazol fit are available (Cook, 1938a; Ebaugh and Shanahan, 1939; Katzenelbogenet al., 1939; Strauss, Landis and Hunt, 1939; Dean, 1940; Hemphill, 1940).