[2][3][4] Several compounds related to the halogenated ether anesthetics have similar convulsant effects rather than producing sedation, and this has been helpful in studying the mechanism of action of these drugs.

In 1953, the Maryland pharmacologist J. C. Krantz experimented with flurothyl to induce seizures in psychiatric patients as an alternative to ECT.

Equal degrees of EEG slow wave increases were recorded in flurothyl and electrical induced seizures.

[20] Oximetric and ECG studies showed comparable heart rate increases with occasional rhythmic irregularities.

Even more strikingly, a structural isomer of flurothyl known as isoflurothyl (1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-methoxypropane) induces general anesthesia and not convulsions in mice and dogs.

[28] There is some evidence that flurothyl may actually possess general anesthetic properties at high concentrations that are masked by the more potent convulsant action.