Medical Eleclrklty. 395 



from west to east, preceded by a loud clap of thunder unac- 

 companied by lightning. Both before and after the report the 

 rain descended in torrents; the weather had been the niglit 

 preceding very tempestuous. The nature of this pliaenome- 

 non, whose effects were felt in all quarters of the city and in 

 the surrounding country, has not yet been satisfactorily ascer- 

 tained. At Croix-Rousse parts of a wall were tluown down, 

 and a reservoir, full of water, became dry ; in many places the 

 windows were broken to shivers, furniture thrown down, small 

 craft dashed to pieces. The farmers, ou their way to Lvons, 

 were thrown backwards by the violence of the shock. 



MEDICAL ELECTRICITY. 



On this subject we extract the following article from Gilbert's 

 Annalen dor Physik, Neue Folge, KSH, part 5. 



" In the battie of , an oincer in the French service 



was knocked down by a cannon ball which passed very closely 

 over the crown of h's head. His soldiers who had a great regard 

 for him, immediately carried him off the tiehl to a place of 

 safety. The cannon ball had, by the rapidity with which it 

 flew, given such a shock to the head that the tongue was as if 

 shrivelled up, and was reduced into such a small compass that 

 it could scarcely be perceived. It was impossible for him to ar- 

 ticulate any sound, and he had completely lost the power of 

 speecli. Medical officers of various coimtries attended him., and 

 did all they could for him : eight months were passed in this 

 melancholy way, and at length all Lopes were given up of re- 

 covery. 



" The use of electricity was then recommended. lie was 

 conveyed to the medical institution in the Palais de la Coitr at 

 Brussels, and the superintendant, Dr. Zimmerman, undertook his 

 treatment. During the three first days he was electrified daily 

 for three quarters of an hour at a tiuie, and also received what 

 is termed tiie electrical bath, without the slightest appearance of 

 improvement. On the fourth day he was twice electrified, the 

 first time in the morning fasting and the last in the afternoon, 

 when a strong perspiration came on. In this way the process 

 was contimied for eight days; and at every application the sweat 

 fell from him like drops of rain. Immediately the tongue began 

 to appear and to move, and the patient seemed also to enjoy 

 some use of it. 



" In pro|)ort!on as this member recovered its natural size and 

 was freed from the restraint under which it bad suffered, the pa- 

 tient recovered the use of his limbs also, and in a few days was 

 able to articulate and move about. A perseverance in the treat- 

 ment ultimaldv completed the cure." 



MINK- 



