LECT. XII. XIII. ELECTRIC CURRENT. 253 



to lessen the sufferings to which this dreadful disease gives 

 rise. 



In Urinary Calculi. Finally, it has lately been proposed 

 to dissolve vesical calculi, and resolve cataract by the elec- 

 tric current. It is sufficient, however, to remember, that 

 the substances which compose urinary calculi are insoluble 

 in water, to be convinced that such an application has no 

 basis to rest on. 



In Cataract. As for cataract, I would remark, that by 

 changing the position of the poles of a current, which has 

 been made to pass through an albuminous liquor, we never 

 find that the albumen coagulated at the negative pole is 

 redissolved at the positive pole. It is possible, therefore, 

 to create a cataract, but impossible to destroy it. 



In .Aneurism. Petrequin, of Lyons, has recently pro- 

 posed the use of galvano-acupuncture for curing certain 

 aneurisms. This application appears to be founded on the 

 property which the electric current possesses, of coagula- 

 ting the serum of the blood, and, consequently, of partially 

 filling up the aneurismal sac. 



