ON THE ACTION OF GALVANISM. \ Jg 



for inftancejbiatica *, may be occafioned either by obftructed 

 humours, by their too great quantity, or by a defect in the re- 

 action of the folids; it may alfo arife from organic defects, 

 from a change in the humours, from a venomous, or as it is 

 called an acrid principle, or from a peculiar virus which is 

 found in the humours. 



Thofe five who are affected from an obftruction in the hu- 

 mours receive the greateft benefit from electricity, which fets 

 them in motion ; the other five, who are tormented by a fcia- 

 tica proceeding from vitiated humours will grow worfe under 

 the electric treatment, which increafes the acridity of the hu- 

 mours, carrying off part of the water which kept the poifon 

 diluted. This theory of the effects of electricity on the human 

 body is founded on the nature of this fluid, and on the proper- 

 ties it manifefts in numerous experiments. 



The electric fluid tends conftantly to an equilibrium, and Conftant ten- 



this tendency is fo ftrong, that it is feen to penetrate through eSic flu^d to 



the air to a certain diftance, and to fpread itfelf on idio-elec- an equilibrium, 



trie bodies. It is this tendency which caufes electrifed water urged a / f. tne 



• in ii .„ » . , mode of its ac- 



to run in a continued uream through capillary iyphons, whence tion. 



it pafles flowly in drops, if the electrization is flopped. It is 

 by the fame tendency that electricity accelerates the circulation 

 of the blood in animals f, and of the humours in vegetables. 

 It is, Iaftly, by the fame tendency that when the electric fpark 

 pafles from one conductor into another by connecting wires, if 

 the cohefion of the body be not fufliciently great to prevent it 

 Jt takes with it, in its paflage, fome of the conducting particles, 

 which ferve it as a vehicle. This property, which is mani- 

 fefted by the ordinary effects of thunder, and of feveral expe- 

 riments, (hews the caufe of the increafed evaporation of elec- 

 trifed liquids, and the greater tranfpiration of animals and ve- 

 getables under fimilar circumftances. It is clear, therefore, 

 that in every cafe of obftructed humours, if other fymptoms do 

 not forbid, electricity will be a very good remedy ; on the 



* Doctor Balbis obferved to me, that all the fpecies of fciatica 

 could be very well accounted for without having recourfe to the 

 hypothec's of corrupted humours j I replied to my learned brother, 

 that it was mydefire to compare my theory with the chief theories 

 of fciatic affections without attending to their probability. 



f Van Marum feems to have afcertained that it does not produce 

 this effect. See his account of the Haarlem machine. — N. 



I 2 contrary, 



