Notices respecting New Books. 299. 
eénerally pretty easy. The latter is worst at particular times of 
the day, and frequently becomes better and worse without any 
evident cause. At the times when it is better the patient can 
often use exercise without materially increasing it. Changes 
of the weather influence it much. It is particularly apt to be 
increased by close and foggy weather. Phthisical dyspnoea is 
seldom much influenced by changes of the weather, except they 
increase the inflammatory tendency. 
« When there is a considerable tendency to inflammation in 
habitual asthma, the repeated application of galvanism some- 
times increases it so much, that the use of, this influence no 
longer gives relief, till the inflammatory tendency is subdued by 
local blood-letting. It always gave relief most readily, and the 
relief was generally most permanent in those cases which were 
least complicated with other diseases, the chief complaint being 
a sense of tightness across the region of the stomach, impeding 
the breathing. The patients said, that the sense of tightness 
gradually abated while they were under the influence of the gal- 
vanism, and that as this happened their breathing became free. 
The abatement of the tightness was often attended with a sense 
of warmth in the stomach, which seemed to come in its place. 
This sensation was most frequently felt when the negative wire 
was applied near the pit of the stomach, but the relief did not 
seem less when it was not felt. 
“‘ With respect to the continuance of the relief obtained by 
galvanism, it was different in different cases ; in the most severe 
cases it did not last so long as in those where the symptoms were 
slightér, thongh cf equal coutinuance. This observation, how- 
ever, did not universally apply. When the patient was gal- 
vanised in the morning, he generally felt its good effects more or 
Jess till next morning. In almost all, the repetition of the gal- 
vanism gradually increased the degree of permanent relief. Its 
increase was much more rapid in some cases than in others. The. 
permanency of the good effects of galvanism in the disease be- 
fore us, has appeared very remarkably in several cases where the 
symptoms, after having been removed by it, were renewed alter 
intervals of different duration Ly cold or other causes. In these 
eases means which, previous to the use of galvanism, bad failed 
to give relief, were now successful without its aid; or with few 
applications of it, compared with those which had becn neces- 
sary in the first instance. 1 have not yet seen any case, in which 
galvanism had been of considerable advantage, where its good 
effects appeared to have been wholly lost. It is now about a 
year and a half since I first employed it in habitual asthma. 
‘Taking cold and the excessive use of fermented liquors have been 
the principal causes of relapse, 
« The 
