Ward Quiet: Pyschiatric Nursing at State Hospital #2
Medication
Nurse Logbooks from the 1970’s document the use of Thorazine at State Hospital #2.
Thorazine was introduced in the 1950’s to treat mental disorders. It was hailed as a miracle drug even though (or perhaps because) it sometimes left patients subdued and passive.
Antipsychotic drugs curtailed use of electroshock treatment and lobotomies.
They also helped bring about the deinstitutionalization movement for mental patients.
Side Effects
A number of patients exhibited muscle twitches and other unusual movements after taking Thorazine. They complained of restlessness with the compulsive desire to move their legs or walk around. The muscle contractions, shuffling gait, drooling, and masked expression characteristic of patients given the drug became known as the Thorazine Shuffle.