184 LOCALIZED ELECTRIZATION. 



currents of short duration, applied in the intervals between the 

 labile contractions. This is what constitutes for Eemak, or is 

 called by him, galvanization by a continuous current. And it is 

 in this manner that his pupils, or his adepts, have applied this 

 method. The results obtained by such proceedings may as well 

 be ascribed to the interrupted and localized galvanic currents as to 

 the continuous currents. With regard to the so-called galvano- 

 tonic contractions, 1 shall shortly show that they have never 

 existed except in Remak's imagination. 



(&). Other experimentalists had caused continuous currents to 

 pass through organs, or through paralysed limbs, in a permanent 

 manner. I had commenced some electro-therapeutic experiments 

 by this method of galvanization, with my friend Aran, but unfor- 

 tunately his premature death interrupted them. 



The proceeding habitually employed for this purpose by Hiffels- 

 heim^ is sufficiently original to be here described. Two moist 

 sponges are kept fixed upon two points of the skin, such as to 

 rejjresent the extremities of an axis traversing the organs that it is 

 desired to influence. A small stem of platinum, at least the fifth 

 of a millimetre in diameter, is contained within each of the 

 sponges, and these stems are in communication with conducting 

 wires leading to a battery of sulphate of lead, composed of a large 

 number of elements of small surface, and of weak electrolytic 

 action. The wires are coiled in spirals, and are long enough to 

 allow the patient to change his place, or to walk a distance of 

 some metres, without deranging the passage of the permanent 

 continuous current. 



The very prolonged application (for an hour or more), of a 

 continuous galvanic current, exposes the skin in contact with the 

 negative rheophore to changes more or less deep, of which I have 

 seen several examples from the practice of Hiffelsheim himself.^ 

 It is therefore necessary to guard against the inconveniences 



' Hiffelsheim, Joe. cit., p. 12. j been suffered to pass for twenty minutes 



^ Case XV.— M. X., to whom I was ' or half an hour, or more, according to the 

 called in consultation with M. Baillaruer, advice given, the apjilication was renewed 

 on account of hallucinations that had each day, by the patient himself, for ten 

 tormented him for several years, and to or fifteen days, each day on a fresh por- 

 whom I had refused to apply continuous , tion of the forehead. Subsequently M. 

 currents for the purpose of removing j X. came to show me his forehead, adorned 

 them, was placed under Hiffelsheim, who by two rows of indelible cicatrices. In- 

 promised him a cure. Hiffelsheim kept ' stead of being cured, his hallucinations 

 the little sponges applied to each temple, ' had increased in frequency, and tempted 

 with a band that encircled the head, i him to suicide. He complained bitterly 

 These sponges communicated, as described, I of the treatment to which he had been 

 with a galvanic battery of nunxerous (sixty) ^ subjected. "Hiffelsheim supposed," said 

 sulphate of lead elements of small surface. I M. X. to me, "that by this method the 

 The permanent continuous current having current would pass through the brain." 



