108 Nervous jljfsction cured by Pressure of the Carotids. 



and liand leaning on the lap. If the arm were stretched 

 strongly downwards, the vibration of the flexors ceased, 

 but those of the deltoid continued. The arm being strongly 

 extended forwards, all ceased ; but returned as soon as the 

 muscles were relaxed. The vibrations were of different de- 

 grees of frequency, and at pretty regular intervals, usually 

 about SO in a minute. They were increased in frequency 

 and force by any thing which agitated or heated the patient, 

 and were always worse after dinner than after breakfast. 

 The pulse in the radial artery was 60 in a minute, and ra- 

 ther liard. That in the carotids was very full and strong; 

 and each carotid appeared to be unusually dilated for about 

 half an inch in lenglh, the adjacent portions above and be- 

 low being much smaller, and of the natural size. I much 

 reoret that I find in my notes of this case, no inquiry whe- 

 ther there was anv coincidence between the svsloles of the 

 heart and the muscular vibrations. The patient's feet were 

 usually cold, and h.'r head and face hot. The feeling in 

 her limbs was nuich as I have above described, except that 

 the sensibility was somewhat less acute than it had been, 

 and she complained of a tightness all over her head, as if it 

 had been bound with a close night-cap. Her sleep was 

 usually sound on first going to bed, but ai'terwards, for the 

 most part, interrupted by dreaming. Bowels generally 

 costive: appetite moderate : no flatulency or indigestion: 

 tongue slightly furred, without thirst: urine variable, but 

 generally pale. 



The late Mr. George Crook, surgeon, was present while 

 I made these examinations; and when we afterwards con- 

 versed together, I remarked to him, that if my theory of 

 the usual cause of spasmodic or nervous affections were well 

 founded, I should probably be able to suppress or restrain 

 these muscular vibrations of the left arm, by compressing 

 the carotid artery on the opposite or right side; while little 

 effect might perhaps be produced by compressing the ca- 

 rotid of the side affected. The event was exactly conform- 

 able to my expectation. Strong pressure on the right ca- 

 rotid uniformly stopped all the vibrations, while that on 

 the left had no apparent influence. I may add that these 

 eNperimtnls were afterwards, at my request, repeated on 

 this lady in London by Dr. Baillie, and, as he informed me 

 in a letter, with a similar result. 



It is perfectly well known to many of the learned mem- 

 bers of this society, that irritations of the brain, when of 

 moderate force, usually e.xhibil their effects on the nerves or 



muscles 



