34 LOCALIZED ELECTEIZATION. 



currents as regards their other properties ; although even for 

 these it is very notable ; and if applied indifferently in certain 

 cases, and under certain conditions, tlie currents will produce 

 accidents more or less serious. 



Nothing has enabled me to foresee the existence of these pro- 

 perties ; and I have only become acquainted witli them by long 

 practical experience, and always at the expense of the patients 

 operated upon ; or, in other words, by accidents. Among recent 

 examples, in faradization of the testes, in a case of impotence, with 

 the current of the second helix, (two moist rheophores, one in front 

 the other behind, Avere applied to the scrotum at the level of the 

 testes), the patient experienced some pain. Instead of diminishing 

 the force of the current, I changed it for the current of the first 

 helix (by turning the index of the commutator of helices of my 

 electro-dynamic apparatus), thinking that, as the tension of the 

 latter was far less, it might penetrate less deeply, and perhaps 

 produce less sensation. The very contrary took place, the pain 

 becoming much more acute. It seemed to the jDatient, so to 

 speak, as if the testes were being torn from the cord.^ The same 

 thing has occurred in every patient with whom I have repeated 

 the same experiment. The epididymis and the cord are alike 

 much more sensitive to the excitation of the first than of the 

 second helix. Another time, having to treat paralysis of the 

 bladder, I introduced one rheophore into that viscus, and another 

 into the rectum (for the construction of the rheophores, see page 

 95), and caused the passage of a sufficiently strong current from 

 the second helix, with two intermissions in a second. Tlie patient 

 felt only a very bearable sensation. But, as the tension of the 

 current was very great, it was difficult to avoid its penetration to 

 the sacral plexus, in such a way as to produce powerful shocks 

 in the lower limbs. I therefore changed suddenly, without any 

 warning, to the current of the first helix, on account of its lower 

 tension. The patient immediately complained of horrible pain in 

 the hypogastrium. Three other patients, who were then under 

 treatment, all complained of similar pains under the same circum- 

 stances. I have often repeated the experiment, when acting 

 solely upon the bladder or the rectum with a double rheophore 

 that will be described hereafter ; and the local sensation has 

 always been incomparably stronger from the current of the first 



^ The patient was a distinguished pro- and the current of the first order have no 

 fessor of physics; and certainly, after this elective properties with regard to this or 

 argumentum ad hominem, he would no I that function, but they have a more or 

 longer hold the opinion of MM. Bee- less energetic action, hy rrctson of their 

 querel, who wrote "The extra current tension." 



