Deepi Sleepi Therapyi Ethicali Dilemmasi withi Respecti fori Person’si Morali Theoryi
Aizai Nisar
05-06-2018
, Dr.i Harryi Baileyi wasi ai psychiatristi thati practicedi medicinei ini Chelmsford,i Sydneyi
duringi thei 1960si andi 1970s.i Hei wasi alwaysi underi thei influencei ofi surgicali andi
pharmacologicali treatmentsi andi researchi fori mentali illnessi andi wasi lookingi toi furtheri thisi
areai ofi studyi himself.i Duringi Decemberi ofi 1954i hei spenti fifteeni monthsi ati ai Worldi
Healthi Organizationi fellowshipi wherei hei wouldi supplementi hisi educationi oni treatmenti ofi
thei mentallyi illi byi observingi sedationi techniques,i psychosurgery,i andi electroconvulsivei
therapyi methods.i Afteri returning,i hei wouldi announcei significanti developmentsi ini hisi
researchi alli stemmingi fromi thei techniquesi hei acquiredi fromi hisi fellowship.i Eventuallyi hei
wouldi conducti hisi mosti infamousi researchi triali “deepi sleepi therapy”i whichi wasi knowni
fori thei deathi ofi twenty-fouri patients.
1
Deepi sleepi therapyi wasi ai controversiali treatmenti thati isi usedi oni patientsi withi
psychiatrici illnesses.i Iti wasi ai self-developedi theoryi byi Dr.i Harryi Bailey.i Duringi thisi
“therapy”i patientsi wouldi layi ini ai comatosei statei fori daysi ori weeks,i whilei theyi wouldi havei
largei amountsi ofi barbituratesi (ai classi ofi sedativei andi ai sleepi inducingi drug)i administeredi
toi them.i Thei patientsi wouldi receivei theiri mealsi throughi tubesi andi wouldi ati timesi receivei
electricali shocki treatmenti whilei ini thei comatosei state.i Dr.i Harryi Baileyi wasi convincedi
(basedi oni hisi research)i thati deepi sleepi therapyi wouldi helpi curei thei mentallyi illi ofi theiri
diseases,i suchi asi depression,i andi drugi andi alcoholi addictions.i Manyi otheri psychiatristsi thati
workedi withi himi doubtedi thei abilityi ofi thisi treatmenti toi worki andi werei concernedi withi
thei risksi andi outcomes.i Thus,i thisi treatmenti techniquei wasi onlyi usedi byi Dr.i Harryi Baileyi
andi hisi small
teami ofi psychiatrists.
1 https://www.piac.asn.au/legal-help/public-interest-cases/deep-sleep-tragedy/
, Patientsi sufferingi fromi addictions,i obesity,i schizophrenia,i andi eveni premenstruali
stressi syndromei werei admittedi toi Dr.i Harryi Baileyi fori treatment.i Somei camei willingly,i
awarei ofi thei treatmenti methods,i andi othersi werei referredi toi thei psychiatristi byi otheri
physicians.
Treatmenti methodsi fori DSTi wouldi involvei inducingi ai comai ini thei patienti byi administeringi
massivei dosagesi ofi sedatives.i Thei patientsi wouldi bei ini thisi comai fori seveni toi fourteeni
days.i Whilei theyi werei unconsciousi theyi wouldi bei shackledi downi toi theiri bed.i Dr.i Harryi
Baileyi wouldi usei methodsi thati hei learnedi fromi hisi fellowshipi ati thei Worldi Healthi
Organization.i Thisi wouldi includei ECTi (electroconvulsivei therapy)i andi otheri invasivei
treatmentsi withouti thei patientsi consent.i Dr.i Harryi Baileyi explainedi thati whilei thei patienti
wasi ini thei comatosei statei andi thei differenti therapiesi werei beingi administered,i thei braini
wouldi “unlearn”i thei habitsi thati causedi themi toi havei addictivei tendenciesi andi psychotici
behaviors.i Halfi thei patientsi thati hadi diedi fromi thei treatmenti werei underi fortyi andi alli buti
twoi ofi thei patientsi thati werei admittedi diedi twentyi daysi afteri theyi startedi treatment.i Manyi
ofi thesei patientsi wouldi diei fromi complicationsi duringi thei treatment,i suchi asi respiratoryi
problemsi andi barbituratei poisoning.
Nineteeni ofi thei patientsi committedi suicidei lessi thani ai yeari afteri theiri treatmenti wasi
completedi andi manyi othersi wouldi eventuallyi diei fromi braini damagei thati wasi sustainedi
fromi thei treatments.i 1,127i patientsi werei underi Dr.i Harryi Bailey’si carei andi morei thani halfi
ofi thei patientsi wouldi die.
Manyi ofi thei treatmentsi thati werei conductedi whilei thei patientsi werei unconsciousi werei
extremelyi detrimentali andi wouldi leadi toi twenty-fouri deathsi ini thei trial.i 2ECT
2 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg12917500-400-nightmare-on-chelmsford-sydney/
Aizai Nisar
05-06-2018
, Dr.i Harryi Baileyi wasi ai psychiatristi thati practicedi medicinei ini Chelmsford,i Sydneyi
duringi thei 1960si andi 1970s.i Hei wasi alwaysi underi thei influencei ofi surgicali andi
pharmacologicali treatmentsi andi researchi fori mentali illnessi andi wasi lookingi toi furtheri thisi
areai ofi studyi himself.i Duringi Decemberi ofi 1954i hei spenti fifteeni monthsi ati ai Worldi
Healthi Organizationi fellowshipi wherei hei wouldi supplementi hisi educationi oni treatmenti ofi
thei mentallyi illi byi observingi sedationi techniques,i psychosurgery,i andi electroconvulsivei
therapyi methods.i Afteri returning,i hei wouldi announcei significanti developmentsi ini hisi
researchi alli stemmingi fromi thei techniquesi hei acquiredi fromi hisi fellowship.i Eventuallyi hei
wouldi conducti hisi mosti infamousi researchi triali “deepi sleepi therapy”i whichi wasi knowni
fori thei deathi ofi twenty-fouri patients.
1
Deepi sleepi therapyi wasi ai controversiali treatmenti thati isi usedi oni patientsi withi
psychiatrici illnesses.i Iti wasi ai self-developedi theoryi byi Dr.i Harryi Bailey.i Duringi thisi
“therapy”i patientsi wouldi layi ini ai comatosei statei fori daysi ori weeks,i whilei theyi wouldi havei
largei amountsi ofi barbituratesi (ai classi ofi sedativei andi ai sleepi inducingi drug)i administeredi
toi them.i Thei patientsi wouldi receivei theiri mealsi throughi tubesi andi wouldi ati timesi receivei
electricali shocki treatmenti whilei ini thei comatosei state.i Dr.i Harryi Baileyi wasi convincedi
(basedi oni hisi research)i thati deepi sleepi therapyi wouldi helpi curei thei mentallyi illi ofi theiri
diseases,i suchi asi depression,i andi drugi andi alcoholi addictions.i Manyi otheri psychiatristsi thati
workedi withi himi doubtedi thei abilityi ofi thisi treatmenti toi worki andi werei concernedi withi
thei risksi andi outcomes.i Thus,i thisi treatmenti techniquei wasi onlyi usedi byi Dr.i Harryi Baileyi
andi hisi small
teami ofi psychiatrists.
1 https://www.piac.asn.au/legal-help/public-interest-cases/deep-sleep-tragedy/
, Patientsi sufferingi fromi addictions,i obesity,i schizophrenia,i andi eveni premenstruali
stressi syndromei werei admittedi toi Dr.i Harryi Baileyi fori treatment.i Somei camei willingly,i
awarei ofi thei treatmenti methods,i andi othersi werei referredi toi thei psychiatristi byi otheri
physicians.
Treatmenti methodsi fori DSTi wouldi involvei inducingi ai comai ini thei patienti byi administeringi
massivei dosagesi ofi sedatives.i Thei patientsi wouldi bei ini thisi comai fori seveni toi fourteeni
days.i Whilei theyi werei unconsciousi theyi wouldi bei shackledi downi toi theiri bed.i Dr.i Harryi
Baileyi wouldi usei methodsi thati hei learnedi fromi hisi fellowshipi ati thei Worldi Healthi
Organization.i Thisi wouldi includei ECTi (electroconvulsivei therapy)i andi otheri invasivei
treatmentsi withouti thei patientsi consent.i Dr.i Harryi Baileyi explainedi thati whilei thei patienti
wasi ini thei comatosei statei andi thei differenti therapiesi werei beingi administered,i thei braini
wouldi “unlearn”i thei habitsi thati causedi themi toi havei addictivei tendenciesi andi psychotici
behaviors.i Halfi thei patientsi thati hadi diedi fromi thei treatmenti werei underi fortyi andi alli buti
twoi ofi thei patientsi thati werei admittedi diedi twentyi daysi afteri theyi startedi treatment.i Manyi
ofi thesei patientsi wouldi diei fromi complicationsi duringi thei treatment,i suchi asi respiratoryi
problemsi andi barbituratei poisoning.
Nineteeni ofi thei patientsi committedi suicidei lessi thani ai yeari afteri theiri treatmenti wasi
completedi andi manyi othersi wouldi eventuallyi diei fromi braini damagei thati wasi sustainedi
fromi thei treatments.i 1,127i patientsi werei underi Dr.i Harryi Bailey’si carei andi morei thani halfi
ofi thei patientsi wouldi die.
Manyi ofi thei treatmentsi thati werei conductedi whilei thei patientsi werei unconsciousi werei
extremelyi detrimentali andi wouldi leadi toi twenty-fouri deathsi ini thei trial.i 2ECT
2 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg12917500-400-nightmare-on-chelmsford-sydney/
