ACTION OF INTEERUPTED AND CONTINUOUS CURRENTS. 213 



nerve antagonistic to tliat tlirongh which a strong constant 

 current (of thirty of Daniell's couples at least) is passing and 

 which he has called galvano-tonic contractions or sliortenings, this 

 electro-physiological phenomenon, I say, is imaginary. I have 

 never seen it produced in any of the numerous experiments which 

 I have made publicly upon healthy men, (See page 179.) 



VIII. — It is true that reflex contractions are sometimes pro- 

 duced in certain pathological conditions ; that we may see, for 

 exaaiple, in paralytic contractions of the muscles supplied by the 

 median nerve, consecutive to cerebral haemorrhage, the hand open, 

 the wrist and fore-arm become extended, during the passage of the 

 continuous current through the nerve ; but this phenomenon in 

 no way confirms the theory, imagined by Remak, of the so-called 

 galvano-tonic contractions. In fact, in these morbid conditions 

 the spinal cord, being in a state of extreme excitability, any 

 emotion whatever, as well as the act of sneezing or yawning, is 

 sufficient to provoke the same reflex contractions. 



The power to produce, in these morbid conditions, reflex spasms 

 in the antagonists of the contracted muscles, is therefore a property 

 common to many excitants ; and, consequently, the denomination 

 of galvano-tonic, given to these spasms, cannot be justified. (See 

 a, page 197). 



IX. — -The hyposthenizing or paralyzing action (discovered by 

 Eckhart) of continuous currents upon the nerve-trunks, may 

 perhaps account for the therapeutic action which they sometimes 

 exert on paralytic contractures. (See h, p. 199). 



X. — Contrary to the assertion of Eemak and his followers, con- 

 tractures consecutive to cerebral hasmorrhage are seldom cured or 

 improved by continuous currents applied after Remak's manner; 

 because such contractures are nearly always (a fact which Eemak 

 ignores) symptomatic of secondary sclerosis of certain fibres of the 

 cord. (See c, p. 199). 



XI. — Rheumatic contractures, and ascending contractures, after 

 articular injury (an affection not hitherto described), can be better 

 treated by energetic faradization of the antagonists of the con- 

 tracted muscles than by continuous currents. (See c and d, pp. 

 201, 202). 



Xll. — The atrophic paralysis consecutive to injuries of the 

 nerves is, in general, less quickly and less completely cured by 

 continuous currents (according to Remak's method) than by local- 

 ized muscular faradization ; but the combination of both methods 

 has appeared to me to yield the most satisfactory results in the 

 treatment of these affections. (See A, p. 193). 



The same statement will a[)ply to lead -palsies : although, 



