ELECTROTHERAPY 87 



versed by a constant current induce decomposition and this 

 process of electrolysis has been employed for the removal of 

 tumours. Cauterisation, haemostasis, and the amputation 

 of diseased organs, tongue, eyeball, etc., are sometimes 

 effected by means of a platinum wire or other suitable 

 instrument heated by a constant current, which may be 

 obtained from one of Faure's portable Accumulators. 

 Galvanism is also used to improve nutrition and prevent 

 further wasting in muscular atrophy, and in the treatment 

 of paralysis of central cerebral or medullary origin. 



Slight electric currents stimulate both motor and sensory 

 nerves and muscles ; more powerful or long-continued 

 currents exhaust, paralyse, or tetanise. 



Like nux vomica and other excito-motors, electricity 

 stimulates depressed nervous action, controls disordered 

 action, and hence improves impaired nutrition. For strains 

 of muscles, after the primary inflammation and effusion are 

 relieved by fomentations and rest, faradism over the seat 

 of injury lessens pain and stiffness. A current of suitable 

 strength applied for six or eight minutes, and repeated if 

 needful twice daily, frequently benefits and sometimes 

 removes muscular rheumatism, and is also serviceable in 

 chronic articular rheumatism, which has resisted other 

 treatment. In patellar luxation, when, owing to muscular 

 contraction, replacement is very difficult, a prolonged ap- 

 plication of the induced current is helpful. The current 

 increases the contraction, but when it is discontinued the 

 muscles quickly relax and reduction can be readily effected. 



Paralysis depends upon various conditions, functional and 

 molecular, and hence demands very different methods of 

 treatment. Electricity, however, is often useful in diag- 

 nosing its seat and extent, and also in abating or removing 

 the depressed or disordered conditions on which it depends. 

 Torpidity of the bowels, resulting from imperfect intestinal 

 peristalsis, is sometimes overcome by faradisation. To 

 stimulate contractions in muscular atrophy one electrode 

 is placed over the principal local nerve-centre, or nerve of 

 the wasted part ; while the other is moved over the altered 

 muscles, for ten or fifteen minutes twice daily. Cases of 

 roaring have thus been treated. One electrode is applied 



