208 LOCALIZED ELECTRIZATION. 



disappearance of the symptoms of ])rogressive locomotor ataxy, I 

 conceived the hope, at the commencement of my researches into 

 this disease, and prior to describing it, that faradization would be 

 one of the best means of treatment by whicli it could be opposed. 



But, unfortunately, experience soon taught me that the results 

 obtained locally — all incontestable as they were — were still but 

 temporary; that the cure of the disease was only apparent; that, 

 in its normal course, ataxy is essentially remittent ; that it was 

 not uncommon to see the occurrence, even spontaneously (among 

 unfortunates who, for want of means, were unable to pursue any 

 treatment) of remissions of even long continuance (sometimes of a 

 year or more), during which all the symptoms of the malady had 

 disappeared, so that it was possible to believe it to be entirely cured. 

 I must, in one word, acknowledge that, perchance, the faradiza- 

 tion may have been applied coincidently with one of these periods 

 of remission ; but the ataxy none the less resumed, after a time, its 

 progressive course. The same may apply to glosso-labio-laryngeal 

 paralysis. 



Remak and his adepts have, however, announced that constant 

 continuous currents have power to cure the profound lesions of the 

 nervous centres which are characteristic of progressive locomotor 

 ataxy. I accepted, as a great benefit, the promise of a medication 

 that should be efticacious in the treatment of this malady, the 

 march of which has appeared to me to be so fatal that, in describ- 

 ing it, I gave it the name '• j^rogressive" and I hastened to test the 

 value of the plan proposed. 



I do not yet venture to formulate my opinion of the actual thera- 

 peutic value of continuous currents in these organic lesions of the 

 nervous centres. I cannot so soon forget the lesson that I nlrew 

 from my illusions about the seemingly happy results of my first 

 applications of faradization in similar cases. I even fear that those 

 who have published cases of the cure of locomotor ataxy by con- 

 tinuous currents may have been too hasty in their conclusions. 

 They possibly may not be sufficiently aware of what sometimes 

 occurs in the natural course of the disease, without any treatment 

 whatever, — of tlie long remissions that I have described, during 

 which the symptoms may so far disappear that the patient may 

 seem to be definitely cured. 



V. — Galvanization by Permanent Continuous 

 Constant Currents. 



Gralvanization by permanent continuous constant currents, con- 

 sists in causing the passage of these currents through organs, 



