electroshock

The injection of the relaxant myocaine (glycerol ester of guaiacol) before an electroshock prevents the dysfunction of carbohydrate metabolism, restricts the splitting of phosphocreatine after cardiazol and picrotoxin, and after electroshock and amidopyrine it facilitates phosphocreatine synthesis (Mison-Crighel, 1957). Similarly, alkaline phosphatases no longer decrease after an electroshock if myocaine has previously been injected (Appel et al., 1957).

As he awaited the third series of electroshocks in late October 1943, Artaud recalled the accident to Ferdière: 'The electroshock therapy has caused me to suffer terribly, and I beg you to spare me another suffering.'