Irradiation of Ehrlich mouse ascites carcinoma cells by shock pulses produced by chemical explosions resulted in extensive killing as determined by a combination of both microscopically examined staining reactions and inoculations of the treated cells into mice. The pressure developed in the shock pulse is estimated to be of the order of one million pounds per square inch with a pulse time of the order of one microsecond. Total shock energies ranged from 1 calorie to a maximum of 40 calories. Cells showed considerable blebbing and internal deformities as a result of the initial mechanical effects of the shock wave, followed by induced biochemical changes. The explosive shock procedure described for cancer cells is adaptable to the killing of living cells generally.