538 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



both on the contractility of the vessels, and the composition of the 

 humors. 



In cases of paralysis, more than any others, electricity displays all 

 its healing power. Paralysis occurs whenever the motor nerves are 

 separated from the nervous centres by any injuring cause, or by any 

 modification of texture impairing their sensitiveness. With a de- 

 stroyed nerve, paralysis is incurable, but, in case of its disease only, its 

 functions can almost always be restored by electric treatment. As 

 there is always some degree of muscular atrophy in the case, electri- 

 city is directed upon the nerves and the muscles at once, and the bat- 

 tery and the induction current usually employed together. As a rule, 

 the first modifies the general nutrition, and restores nervous excitabil- 

 ity, while the last stimulates the contractile power of the muscular 

 fibres. The difference of action between the two kinds of currents is 

 clear in certain paralyses, in which the muscles show no contraction 

 under induction-currents, while under the influence of constant cur- 

 rents they contract better than the uninjured muscles. Experiments 

 made some years ago in Robin's laboratory, on the bodies of criminals 

 executed, proved that, after death, muscular contraction can still be 

 produced by Volta's currents, though Faraday's current has no such 

 effect. 



When the motor nerves are in a state of morbid excitement, they 

 compel either muscular contractions that are lasting, as tonic spasms, 

 or intermittent ones. The different motor nerves most commonly ex- 

 cited are the facial nerves, the nervous branches of the forearm or the 

 fingers, which are affected in "writer's cramp," and the branches of 

 the spinal nerve, whose irritation occasions tic-douloureux, chronic 

 wryneck, etc. Now, electricity cures, or at least noticeably benefits 

 these different morbid states, and exei-ts the like influence over neural- 

 gic and neuritic affections, wherever these disorders are not the symp- 

 toms of other deeper maladies. Currents restore the normal activity 

 of nutrition in the diseased nerves, and the corresponding muscles ; 

 they act on rheumatism, too, in the most beneficial way, modifying the 

 local circulation, quieting the pain, and stimulating reflex phenomena, 

 which are followed by muscular contractions. Erb, Remak, Hiffel- 

 sheim, and Onimus, have proved beyond question this salutary action 

 on swellings of the joints, either in acute or chronic cases. 



The discoveries respecting the influence of electricity over the 

 spinal marrow have been used with advantage in the treatment of 

 such disorders as arise from unduly-excited activity in this organ, 

 such as chorea, St. Vitus's dance, hysteria, and other nervous convul- 

 sions, more or less similar. We cite two instances of this sort pub- 

 lished by Dr. Onimus, giving an idea of the mode of applying the cur- 

 rent in such cases. A child, twelve years old, was seized with a 

 frightful attack. Every five or six minutes it lost consciousness, rolled 

 on the ground, its eyes turned upward, then grew so rigid that none 



