316 BENJ. PIKE'S, JR., DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



degree, or that the progress of the cure has often been 

 stopped by the impatience or prejudice of the diseased ; 

 but at the same time, it must be acknowledged, that even 

 in its infancy, when it had to combat against fear, prejudice, 

 and interest, its success was truly great ; we have surely 

 then the highest reason to expect a considerable increase of 

 success, now that it is cultivated and promoted by profes- 

 sional men of the first merit. 



Electricity should always be administered gently at first, 

 and its power only increased when the gentle application 

 is found ineffectual, except in cases of paralysis, or when 

 used to remove obstructions, its full power may be at once 

 administered ; but even here the shock of a quart Leyden 

 jar will be sufficient ; the frequency of the "shocks," and not 

 the strength of them being most to be relied upon. Also, 

 we would remark, that no danger can arise from the admi- 

 nistration of electricity ; and let it not be thought that the 

 remedy is worse than the disease, as those who subject 

 themselves to the powerful shocks given by the electrical 

 apparatus of our various institutions are apt to believe. On 

 the contrary, it may be administered to sleeping children 

 without waking them ; and even when awake, its application 

 may be made a source of gratification rather than of appre- 

 hension. To administer electricity properly requires con- 

 siderable skill and tact in the operator, and as this is seldom 

 found so surely as among medical men, and as they neither 

 like the trouble of operating, nor are taught anything of the 

 curative effects of the fluid during their medical studies, 

 they who are best able to administer it with effect are re- 

 gardless of it altogether. 



Electricity, according to the mode of its administration, is 

 either sedative, stimulant, or deobstruent ; hence the pro- 

 priety of its application to diseases of quite contrary cha- 

 racter. We have applied it to palsies, rheumatisms, inflam- 

 mations, contractions of the muscles, amaurosis, chilblains, 

 tumors, sprains, and other diseases and accidents. The 

 methods of electrifying are five ; first, simple electrization, 

 or merely subjecting the person to the action of electricity, 

 by placing him on a glass-legged stool, and connecting him 

 with the electrical machine when in use, as represented in 

 the cut. Second, drawing the fluid from the particular part 

 of his body which may be affected ; this is either done hold- 

 ing towards him a wooden point, when a cooling and refresh- 



