228 LOCALIZED ELECTEIZATIOK 



the two kinds of current remained unaltered from the first condition ; and, 

 especially during the recovery, the snsceptibihty to the galvanic current did 

 not diminish, nor that to the induced current increase, as might have been 

 expected from former observations. 



Eulenburg — who contests IMeyer's doctrine, that the contractions obtained 

 through the facial are of a reflex character — rightly places stress upon the 

 following points in his observations, as incompatible with that doctrine. 1. 

 The stationary character of the galvanic stimulating effect. 2. The absence 

 of any considerable irritation of the sensitive or sensory (special) nerves. 

 3. That the contractions had no spasmodic character. 4. That on localizing 

 the cm'reut in any muscle, this and no other would react. 5. That slow inter- 

 mission of very jiaiuful induced currents produced no contraction. 



Eulenburg thus points out a modified action of the current upon the facial ; 

 since, in such a case, the abiding loss of sensibility to the induced current 

 remains unexplained. He is inclined to suppose the existence of different 

 specific energies of the motor nerves, namely, for the galvanic, the faradic, and 

 the volitional stimulus. He thinks it possible that, imder certain unknown 

 differences of molecular condition, one or other of these energies, or even two 

 of them, may be wholly lost, without injury to the third. He recalls the 

 hitherto little studied cases in which, while the motility remains intact, 'he 

 galvanic and faradic irritabilities are lost ; and also the occiu-rence of loss of 

 sense of pain, and loss of sense of temperature in certain cerebral derange- 

 ments, while the sense of touch remains. 



All the preceding observations, given in abstract, with the exception of 

 Bruckner's, refer solely to paralysis of the ftxcial nerve ; and Ziemssen adds 

 two more, which belong to the same order with Bruckner's, and which i)rove 

 that the difference in the excitability for the two kinds of ciu-rent affects other 

 nerves also, in the same way as the facial. The first of these observations has 

 reference to a paralysis of the parts supplied by the ulnar nerve ; the second, 

 to paralysis of the parts supplied by the radial. 



Ziemssen next cites two cases which afford proof that the control of the 

 will over paralysed muscles may be restored, without any restoration of their 

 excitability to either faradic or galvanic stimulus. He then attempts to 

 classify the very numerous phenomena described in his previous obser- 

 vations, and displayed in cases of peripheral paralysis when the paralysed 

 nerves and muscles are tested by induced and continuous cui-rents, and obtains 

 the following series : — 



I. Paralysis in which the aff"ected muscles and nerves have entirely lost 

 their excitabiUty, either for the will, or for both kinds of electric c^irrent. — 

 (^Zieinssen.y 



IL Paralysis in which the motility is partly retained or regained ; while 

 the affected muscles and their motor nerves are not susceptible of the influ- 

 ence of either kind of electric current. — (Eulenhurg, Ziemssen.) 



III. Paralysis in which the motility is entirely lost; but in which the 

 excitabihty by both electric cui-rents is not lost, although much diminished. 

 — (il/. Meyer.) 



IV. Paralysis in which the affected miiscles and nerves have entirely lost 

 their excitability by the will, or by the induced current ; while their excita- 

 bility by the continuous current remains. 



In this class the preceding cases have displayed the following phe- 

 nomena : — 



(a.) During the absence of motility. 



1. The excitability for the continuous current is increased ; so that feeble 

 battery currents, which produce no trace of effect upon the healthy horuo- 

 logous muscles, excite the paralysed muscles to active contraction.— (i?«ier- 

 lacher, Schuiz, Neuviann, Eidenherg, Ziemsstn.) 



2. The excitability for the continuous current increases greatly during 

 treatment with it; rapidly attains its maximum, and then diminishes.— 

 {Ziemssen.) 



