FRICTIONAL ELECTRICITY. 43 



of the Lane's Electrometer, previously placed at the required 

 distance, the jar may be set to the machine, which is then put 

 in motion until any required number of shocks has been given. 



The insulated director is employed also to give sparks, being 

 held by its glass handle, and its ball previously connected with 

 the conductor of the machine by a flexible wire, being brought 

 near the patient, or rubbed lightly over a piece of flannel or 

 woollen cloth, laid on the affected parts. When the eye or any 

 delicate organ is electrified, the ball of the insulated director 

 is unscrewed, and the wooden point applied at the distance of 

 about half an inch from the part. The stream of electrified air, 

 which passes from the point under such circumstances, produces 

 rather a pleasant sensation. Very excellent flexible conductors 

 for medical purposes, may be made by sewing a thin spiral brass 

 wire (such as is used for braces) within a thick silk riband. 



The insulating stool employed, should be of sufficient size to 

 receive a chair upon it, with a resting-place in front of the chair 

 for the feet. The patient being placed on the insulated chair, 

 and connected with the conductor of the machine, becomes a 

 part of it, and sparks may be drawn from any part of the body 

 by a person who stands on the ground, and presents either his 

 knuckle or a brass ball to it. If the ball be held by a wooden 

 handle, the sensation is less painful than when it is held by 

 metal. 



As a remedial agent, Frictional Electricity may be employed 

 in five different ways : 



The first of these is the Electric Bath. In this method the 

 patient is placed upon the insulating stool in connection with 

 the prime conductor, and the machine put in motion. His 

 whole body becomes positively electrified, and the electricity 

 continues to pass silently away. The Electric Bath was strongly 

 recommended by Priestley, under the impression, still generally 

 entertained, that the animal functions are, under 'such circum- 

 stances, discharged with increased vigour, particularly the circu- 

 lation of the blood and the cutaneous secretion. Such effects are 

 sometimes observed, but by no means invariably. 



