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Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History
From the collection of Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History
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Equipment - Electroconvulsive therapy machine

  • A rectangular wooden box with chrome clasp connecting the lid to the base and enabling it to be locked in place. There is a square, white faced dial, or gauge on the bottom left hand corner of the box's face and a handle lying flat against the top of the lid.

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  • The white, square gauge on the face of the wooden box has measured numbers up to 300, although there is no indication exactly what is being measured by the gauge.

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  • A small. rectangular, metal manufacturer's plaque is affixed to the rear of the box. The plaque reveals the machine to have been made by The Edison Swan Company of Charing Cross Road, London.

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  • The leather strap of the machine's handle has been well-worn, signifying much use. Above the handle is a green label with white printed text in relief. The text reveals the machine to be an ECT machine and the property of the Royal Women's Hospital.

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  • Inside the box, the machine itself is revealed to be a square black metal plate, affixed to the side walls of the box and with space underneath to store the electrical cables and handles.

    Untitled image

  • Affixed to the inside lid of the wooden box is a typed instruction sheet with seven steps for the practitioner to follow.

    Untitled image

  • A rectangular wooden box with chrome clasp connecting the lid to the base and enabling it to be locked in place. There is a square, white faced dial, or gauge on the bottom left hand corner of the box's face and a handle lying flat against the top of the lid.
  • The white, square gauge on the face of the wooden box has measured numbers up to 300, although there is no indication exactly what is being measured by the gauge.
  • A small. rectangular, metal manufacturer's plaque is affixed to the rear of the box. The plaque reveals the machine to have been made by The Edison Swan Company of Charing Cross Road, London.
  • The leather strap of the machine's handle has been well-worn, signifying much use. Above the handle is a green label with white printed text in relief. The text reveals the machine to be an ECT machine and the property of the Royal Women's Hospital.
  • Inside the box, the machine itself is revealed to be a square black metal plate, affixed to the side walls of the box and with space underneath to store the electrical cables and handles.
  • Affixed to the inside lid of the wooden box is a typed instruction sheet with seven steps for the practitioner to follow.

Historical information

In 1940 doctors started experimenting with curare for use with electric shock therapy. Electric shock therapy regularly caused broken bones, including vertebrae, and all sorts of dislocations. The intensity of convulsions was high and couldn’t be controlled.

During the 19th Century curare was unsuccessfully used to treat rabies, tetanus and epilepsy. By 1935, Harold King had isolated tubocurarine, curare’s active ingredient. In 1942, Harold Griffith successfully used standardised curare (Intocostrin) with cyclopropane. Within five years synthesised muscle relaxants were available.

Intocostrin, combined with an anaesthetic agent, was a break-through for this treatment.

Physical description

Solid wooden box with three separate sections inside box. First section contains electrical lead for attaching unit to mains power. Second section contains ECT unit and controls. Third sections contains electrical lead ending in plugs for holding in hands. Sections cannot be separated out, they form one unit.

Inscriptions & markings

Etched on to the face of the internal unit: PROPERTY OF / THE ROYAL WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
Label tape affixed to top of the lid: E.C.T. UNIT OP. THEATRES R.W.H.

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