CONTENTS. 



Page 



Introductory Remarks 7 



CHAPTER 



I. History of Medical Electricity . 



Discovery of the Leyden Vial // 



First Application to Medicine 10 



Pivati's Deceptions ....... H 



Discovery of the Voltaic Pile . . . . . 11 



Humboldt's Experiments 12 



Galvanism applied to distinguish real from apparent death 1 3 



Report of the Ecole de Medecine on Galvanism . . // 



Galvanism applied remedially, by Gresser . . . 14 



,, in Tetanus ... H 



in Paralysis and Paraplegia 15 



Internal Moxas * 



Theory of Orioli * 



Galvanism, as a remedy for Inveterate Ulcers . . 17 



II. Physiological Effects of Electricity . . . . 18 



Electrical Spark 19 



Shock 



Physiological Effects of Galvanism . . . .20 



Effect on the Organs of Sensation . . . . 21 



Production of Muscular Contractions ... 22 



Influence on the Secretory Organs .... 23 



Analogy of Electricity with Nervous Influence . . 26 



Experiments of Matteuci ...... 28 



III. Of the Diseases to be relieved by Electricity . . 30 



Nervous Deafness 



Amaurosis and Gutta Serena * 



Aphonia ......... 31 



Paralysis and Hemiplegia * 



Tetanus 34 



Asphyxia 



from concussion of the brain ... 35 



,, from drowning ....>.. 36 



from irrespirable gases .... 



Poisoning by narcotics ...... 



Sanguineous Apoplexy 



Chronic Rheumatism 



Neuralgia 37 



Spasmodic Diseases 



Pleurisy . . 



Carditis . 



