200 LOCALIZED ELEGTEIZATION. 



is propagated to the lateral columns of tlie opposite side, and 

 which begins from the tenth to the fifteenth day. Surely no one 

 would pretend to cure such an anatomical lesion, especially when 

 it had existed six months or a year. If Eemak had lived, he 

 would probably regret to-day the therapeutic announcement tlmt 

 he formulated in a manner so absolute, and of which he made so 

 much. 



I shall, therefore, surprise no one by saying that, in tne appli- 

 cations I have made of continuous currents, to the treatment of 

 the paralytic contractions of cerebral hemiplegia, I have in general 

 obtained no appreciable result. I should add that, in certain 

 conditions that will be specified when I speak of cerebral paralysis, 

 this method of galvanization is not free from danger, and that 

 hence it is necessary to be very circumspect in its employment. 



I make one reservation to my statement that, in general, I liave 

 obtained nothing by Kemak's method, — viz, in some cases I 

 have observed, after the application of his mode of galvanization, 

 a diminution of the contractions and an improvement in the moti- 

 lity ; but to this I must add, that I have sometimes obtained the 

 same by faradization of the antagonists of the contracted muscles. 

 How are such results to be explained ? I also might advance my 

 theory ; but I declare, beforehand, that I attach little importance 

 to it. 



Whatever it may be, the general conclusion to be drawn, as 

 regards therapeutics, is that the two methods may or ought to be 

 employed concurrently or alternately in the treatment of paralytic 

 contractions arising from a cerebral cause. Such, at present at 

 least, is what I practise habitually. 



I have tried, during several months, tlie hyposthenizing action 

 of continuous currents upon the nerve-trunks, in cases of cerebro- 

 spinal or chronic-spinal meningitis. I am not at present in a 

 position to express an opinion upon the therapeutic value, having 

 i-eceived but two cases. In these, however, I have not obtained 

 any appreciable modification. 



E. — Functioned spasms {Scrivener's palsy, &c.). — Neuralgic contrac- 

 tions called 'rheumatic. — Reflex ascending contractions from arti- 

 cular injuries. — Chorea. 



(a). Functional spasms. — When I come to treat of functional 

 spasm, in tlie second Part, I shall have to say that localized fara- 

 dization has appeared to me to be most frequently powerless against 

 this nervous affection. It will, therefore, be understood that I 

 have not neglected the application of those continuous currents 

 which Reniak; and some of his a lepts, say that they have applied 



