ACTION OF INTERRUPTED AND CONTINUOUS CURRENTS. 203 



antagonists of the contvaded muscles. Continuance of spinal pains in the cervico- 

 dorsal region. 



Mademoiselle X * * *, of Saint Brieux, sixteen years of age, born of 

 healthy parents, of a good constitution, had menstruated regularly since 

 twelve years of age, and had never suffered from serioias illness or from 

 hysterical troubles. 



When eleven years old (in 18G1), she fell upon the back of her right hand, 

 and afterwards complained of pain in the radio-carpal articulation, with 

 swelling and weakness of its movements ; she was compelled to keep the arm 

 in a sling for two months, after which there remained only a little weakness. 

 When she wrote, this weakness rapidly increased, and pains were felt in the 

 wrist, returning at regular intervals, and continuing for one or two hours. 



Towards the age of thirteen years and a half, after having danced one 

 evening with much animation, the pain in the right wrist, which had been 

 IDuUed a little roughly, returned with such intensity that all use of the hand 

 became impossible. There was neither redness nor swelling to be seen. The 

 pain continuing, Jobert do Lamballe, who was consulted two months after- 

 wards, advised the ajiplication of flying blisters to the painful part, which 

 produced no result. In December, 1864, the pain still continued ; although 

 limited to the wrist, it forbade all movement or use of the hand, and occa- 

 sioned loss of rest. At this i>eriod M. Nelaton was consulted, and he applied 

 an immovable compressive apparatus, which was renewed every ten days, 

 and frictions of tincture of iodine. 



This apparatus was employed for four months, but without result ; the pain, 

 on the contrary, became more severe, and after two months a contraction 

 appeared in the radial and pronator muscles of the injured side. During the 

 year 186-5, by the advice of Dr. Regnault of Eennes, recourse was had in 

 succession to six flying blisters, to sea-bathing, to the api^lication of hot sand, 

 to aromatic baths, and, finally, to superficial caiiterization over the affected 

 muscles, and all without modifying the pain or the contraction. 



In 1866, Mademoiselle x * * * returned to M. Nelaton, who sent her to 

 me. I then found the following condition : permanent flexion of the hand 

 upon the forearm, with pronation ; the patient being unable to extend the 

 wrist or to supinate the hand. With some effort, however, I was able to 

 restore the position of the limb, producing cries of pain from the patient ; 

 and, when left alone, it returned to its former position. The use of the hand 

 was lost ; there was perfect movement of shoulder and elbow ; the limbs had 

 preserved their natural size ; the general health was satisfactory ; the appe- 

 tite was good ; there was no lesion of the circulation, and no appearance of 

 ansemia. I advised at that time the aj^plication of continuous currents, and 

 a ferruginoiis treatment. The first part was postponed on account of an 

 epidemic of cholera that then prevailed in Paris. Mademoiselle x * * * had 

 scarcely returned to her home when the contraction extended to other 

 muscles : the flexors of the fingers kept the hand constantly shut, so that the 

 nails penetrated the skin ; deep pains were felt towards the origin of 

 the brachial plexus, and descending to the dorsal region ; then fever super- 

 vened, with insomnia. Cupping was practised tlu'ee or four times over the 

 painful part, then flying blisters were applied to the same region, but without 

 any improvement. 



On her return to Paris, April 18th, 1866, Mademoiselle X * * * came to me 

 again. I found, in the right upper extremity, contractions of the superficial 

 and deep flexors of the fingers, of the biceps brachialis, and of most of the 

 muscles which move the arm upon the shoulder. These contractions called 

 forth pains in the whole Umb, and in the cervico-dorsal portion of the spine, 

 pams which were increased when an attempt was made to overcome the 

 contractions. The continuous flexion buried the nails in the palm of the. 

 liand, which was inflamed, and threatened to ulcerate ; there was the greatest 

 difficulty in extending the fingers. The thumb, strongly compressed between 

 tlie four fingers and the palm of the hand, was as if atroi^hied by this 

 compression, and was more difficult to extend than the fingers ; the size of 



