MEDICAL BATTERIES. 69 



The considerable and ra23id polarization produced in the small 

 galvanic batteries by the continuous currents, prevents them from 

 being used for the physiological or therapeutical study of such 

 currents. 



Among the galvanic batteries of large surface that I have 

 described above, those only of which the current is most constant, 

 and of which the electro-motor force is the greatest, are applicable 

 to localized muscular galvanization. 



II. — Operative Procedures for Localized Galvanization. 



The precepts that it is necessary to observe, in order to practise 

 localized muscular galvanization by intermittent currents, are 

 absolutely the same with those about to be stated for the practice 

 of localized muscular faradization. 



§ III. — Localized electrization hij induced electricity, or localized 

 muscular faradization. 



Of the three kinds of electricity, induced electricity is the most 

 fitted for muscular electrization, especially when that operation 

 requires to be jJi'actised frequently, and for a long time. To be 

 convinced of this, it is only necessary to recall what has been said 

 in the first chapter, on the special therapeutical and physiological 

 effects of each kind. Thus faradization excites the most powerful 

 muscular contractions, without at the same time acutely exciting 

 the cutaneous sensibility, without producing shock, without throw- 

 ing the organs into a kind of stupor, without rupturing capillary 

 vessels ; in a word, without occasioning, like static electricity, 

 any accidents from which the patients might recover with diffi- 

 culty. We know, again, that galvanism and faradism possess, 

 in a nearly equal degree, the power to penetrate more or less 

 deeply beneath the skin ; or, in other words, to concentrate their 

 action on muscles or nerves, without affecting the skin ; but that 

 the chemical and physiological properties of faradism are infinitely 

 little developed as compared with those of galvanism, and are too 

 weak to be appreciable during muscular faradization. We know, 

 lastly, that faradization produces only a faint phosphene ; and that 

 its action upon the retina does not complicate in a distressing 

 manner, like that of galvanism, the electrization of the muscles of 



p. 46) : — " M. Duchenne appears to be | or has he not understood the question 

 ignorant of the difierence which exists [ at issue, which refers only to small vol- 

 between a constant and an inconstant taic batteries ? I am not aware that M. 



chain ; although he lives in Paris, near 

 M. Becquerel, the celebrated inventor of 

 constant chains." Is this good faith? 



Becquerel's constant chains have been 

 used for medical purposes. 



