This clip is the worst of all. Dr. Peter Breggin makes the statement that in the beginning, the duration of the electrical jolt was .1 (one tenth) second. Today, says Breggin, it's 1 or 2 full seconds, and refers to a clip showed to the audience, which showed 1.7 seconds on a patient.

Dr. Kellner says Breggin is "misinformed." Dr. Breggin asks, "About the 1.7 seconds?"

Dr. Kellner, in a blatant lie, says "Yes."

In fact, today's ECT most commonly uses between 2 and 3 full seconds, despite Kellner's attempt to once again misinform the public about the science of ECT.

From Richard Abrams "Electroconvulsive Therapy," the book for ECT practitioners and researchers:

"even relatively high-dose ECT may be ineffective if the stimulus charge is delivered over too short a period of time. Thus, these authors obtained only a 51% reduction in Hamilton depression scale scores after 6 right unilateral ECT's administered with a 1-second stimulus duration, compared with a 68% reduction in Hamilton depression scale score my colleagues and I achieved with 6 right unilateral ECT's administered with a 3-second stimulus..."

This chapter goes on to say that 2 to 3 seconds is the most common time, and suggests that better results can be obtained with a charge lasting 4 to 8 seconds. (Chapter 6, The Electroconvulsive Therapy Stimulus, pages 113-115)