DISEASES OF THE PERIPHERAL NERVES. 



is by no means frequent. Even the termination in permanent anaes- 

 thesia is comparatively rare, although we should a priori regard it ad 

 the most frequent, since it would seem very probable that continued 

 irritation must finally destroy the nerve. In many cases neuralgia, 

 particularly certain forms of it, remains stationary and lasts till death. 

 This is not apt to result from the neuralgia itself, but from accidental 

 complications, or from the disease causing the neuralgia. 



TREATMENT. Where the neuralgia is induced by pressure on, 01 

 compression of, the nerves by foreign bodies, tumors, or contracted 

 cicatrices, the causal indications require surgical interference. The 

 circumstance that neuralgia occasionally continues after the removal 

 of foreign bodies and tumors from the vicinity of nerves, should not 

 deter us from operation ; since we cannot know beforehand whether the 

 neuralgia has become "habitual," that is, whether the injurious influ- 

 ences that have acted on the nerve have affected it permanently, and 

 have induced a state that will not subside after removal of the cause. 

 The so-called antirheumatica are of little use in rheumatic neuralgias. 

 These would be more successfully treated by the methodical use of 

 artificial or natural warm-baths. Numbers of patients with rheumatic 

 neuralgia seek relief, and some find it, at Wildbad, Baden-Baden, 

 Wiesbaden, and other warm springs. Where the disease is due to 

 malaria and has a regular type quinine, the antidote to malarial poison- 

 ing has a very brilliant effect. Sulphur-baths and the internal admin- 

 istration of sulphur have a peculiar reputation in the neuralgias caused 

 by poisoning with copper, mercury, and lead. Finally, the causal 

 indications require the treatment of the disposition for neuralgia ; and, 

 as we know, to some extent at least, what it depends on, we cannot 

 unfrequently fulfil this indication successfully. We cannot regard car- 

 bonate of iron as a specific for neuralgia, but, when poverty of the 

 blood is one of its chief causes (or, as Mademacher has it, " when the 

 neuralgia is an iron affection of the constitution"), the carbonate and 

 other preparations of iron often have a surprising effect. In the same 

 way neuralgia may often be benefited by modes of treatment that 

 greatly modify the change of tissue and the nutrition. Where we 

 cannot remove the causes of neuralgia, the indications from the disease 

 require that we should attempt to equalize the disturbances of nutri- 

 tion on which it depends, or to destroy the excitability of the nerves, 

 or finally to prevent the propagation of the morbid excitement to the 

 brain. 



Among the most effective modes of treatment for this purpose is 

 the use of electricity. Excellent results are not unfrequently attained 

 both by the induced and constant current. Dr. Leube, in his inaugu- 

 ral dissertation in 1862, reported a number of cases of obstinate neu- 



