Ventricular Fibrillation of Long Duration Abolished by Electric Shock

Ventricular fibrillation occurs as the terminal arrhythmia in approximately 50 per cent of patients.1If ventricular fibrillation develops in hearts that are relatively normal, especially during operations, defibrillation may be life saving. During the period before regular rhythm is restored the heart must be exposed and rhythmically massaged in the interval. This method of cardiac resuscitation has been developed in the laboratory by Hooker,2Wiggers,3and Beck,4and applied to patients by the latter. The method consists of the injection of 5 cc. of 2 per cent procaine hydrochloride into the right side of the heart followed by a brief period of cardiac massage to distribute the drug throughout the myocardial bed. The heart is then placed between two large electrodes and ordinary 110 volt alternating current with 1.5 amperes is momentarily impressed through the heart between the electrodes. Usually a series of such shocks is