ELECTKO-THKRAPEUTIC APPARATUS. 15 



in this direction, still greater progi-ess in medical electricity may be 

 expected in the near futiD-e. 



Modern electro-therapeutic apparatus may be described as follovvs : 

 — 1. A faradic battery. 2. A galvanic battery, with not less than 

 30 cells. 3. A good galvanometer. 4. A i-heostat. 5. A commu- 

 tator or its equivalent. 6. Rheophores or insulated wii-es for convey- 

 ing the current, and 7, a complete set of electrodes. Asa complete 

 set of apparatus is present for insjiection a detailed description is 

 unnecessary. 



Jn the matter of galvanic batteries the )>ortable form is the most 

 convenient foi' general practice, while large cells in a stationary foi-m 

 are used in hos[)itals and also by specialists in office practice. Port- 

 able batteries have been greatly impi'oved of late and seem to leave 

 vei-y little to be desired. For general jjurposes the portable chloride 

 of silver batteiy is the most convenient, while for electrolysis and 

 especially for operations in gynaecology a modification of the Mcintosh 

 zinc-carbon or chromic acid battery is to be preferred. He wished, 

 however, more particularly to call attention to some new apparatus 

 quite recently devised for regulating, controlling and registering the 

 galvanic current when used in mediciriC or surgeiy. These are, fii'st, 

 a new form of galvanometer, called a milliampere meter; second, a 

 new form of rheostat. 



The milliampfere meter is a modification of the galvanometer, and 

 indicates, firstly, the presence of the galvanic current ; secondly, its 

 direction ; and thirdly, the strength of s;iid current in milliamperes. 

 By the use of this instrument the dose of electricity may now be both 

 prescribed and administered as definitely as a dose of medicine can be 

 weighed or measured. The new rheostat, known as the Bailey rheostat, 

 is an apparatus lor interposing a column of water into the galvanic 

 circuit so as to break the force of said current before it is allowed to 

 pass through vital parts of the body. 



It prevents any shock to the nervous system, and furthermore, 

 when combined with the use of the milliampere meter, the strength 

 of the current can be very accurately gauged by increasing or dimin- 

 ishing the quantity of water interposed in the cii-cuit. The maximum 

 number of cells are placed in dii-ect circuit, and no commutator for 

 increasing or diminishing the niimber of said cells is required, the 



