The effects of peripheral nerve block or severance on the course of externally applied general electroanesthesia (EA) was studied in 6 Rhesus monkeys. The baseline minimum current requirement for general EA at several frequencies was initially established for each monkey. In 5 monkeys a complete scalp block was effected, including the site of the electrodes, with 54 percent lidocaine. Ten minutes after the scalp block, general EA could not be induced despite a current intensity well above baseline. In one monkey, several pairs of peripheral sensory nerves of the head were cut; 7 and 14 days after operation, the monkey was completely refractory to externally applied current to produce general EA. These results suggest that peripheral sensory nerves of the scalp are probably essential for production of general EA. The generally accepted explanations of the mechanisms for producing this type of anesthesia have, in the past, only considered direct stimulation of some critical area in the brain.