122 LOCALIZED ELECTEIZATION. 



Whenever the moist rheophores of an induction apparatus, 

 applied to the skin, are a little apart from one another, in such 

 positions that the current traverses the limb longitudinally, then 

 the extremities of the limb, although they are not in communi- 

 cation with the rheophores, will exhibit muscular contractions 

 from reflex action. If, for instance, we place one rheophore upon 

 the anterior surface of the fore-arm, and the other near the spine 

 in the cervical region, we shall not only see contraction of the 

 muscle situated in the plane of the rheophore, but also of other 

 muscles of the arm and fore-arm. 



B. — Electrization of the nerve-extremities by reflex action is 

 often practised by placing the extremities of the patient in two 

 basins of water, each of which is connected with one of the 

 rheophores of an induction instrument. 



It is possible to apply faradization at once to the upper and 

 lower limbs, and in a more general manner, by placing both hands 

 in a basin of water communicating with one of the poles, and both 

 feet in another basin communicating with the other. This method 

 excites the nervous centres, and especially the spinal cord, in a 

 very general and energetic matter, even when the current is of 

 small intensity. If the intermissions are rapid, all the muscles 

 of the limbs are thrown into tetanic contraction, and the accom- 

 panying sensation, which is felt chiefly in the joints, is very 

 painful. At this degree of intensity this method of electrization 

 is followed by severe lumbago. 



We may classify under this kind of electrization the electric 

 bath, which may be also called the electro-dynamic, in order to 

 distinguish it from the bath of static electricity given by the 

 friction electric machine. The former consists of a bath, the 

 water of which is in contact with one of the rheophores of an 

 induction instrument, or of a battery of intermittent current, while 

 the other moist rheophore is applied to some part of the body 

 that is not immersed ; commonly to the upper and back part 

 of the chest. 



By this proceeding also, the spinal cord is excited in a general 

 manner, nearly as much as by reflex faradization of the peripheral 

 extremities of the nerves, and with the same energy. 



C. — Electrization hy centripetal or centrifugal currents with 

 currents of induction. — In electrization by reflex action, physio- 

 logists have attached great importance to the direction of the 

 currents, resting upon experiments which show that in certain 

 animals the direct (centrifugal) currents act upon the motility, 

 and the inverse (centripetal) currents upon the sensibility. 



Induced currents, under ordinary conditions, cannot be said to 



