174 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [August, 



direct influence of the current. When examined under the microscope^ 

 the pieces from the direct line of the current showed that the striae had 

 become markedly granular, while the piece outside of the direct line of 

 the current preserved the muscle cells unaltered. 



It was stated that this was the first evidence of absolute fiiolec- 

 ular disintegration of the living cells by the interpolar action of the 

 galvanic current where such process is confined to the cells. 



Dr. Frederick Peterson, of New York, from a series of experiments 

 on cataphoresis with principally cocaine and aconitine, concluded (see 

 Dr. A. D. Rockwell's article in Medical Annual') that with the for- 

 mer, or two combined, a deep anaesthesia may be produced in conjunc- 

 tion with the anode. The anaesthesia may be made rapid with the use 

 of strong currents, or slowly produced with a current imperceptible to 

 the patient. 



Upon this subject we need not dwell further ; catalysis takes place in 

 living tissue ; its precise nature is not understood. Cataphoresis, also 

 a proof of catalysis, seems to be a demonstrated fact. 



THE RESISTANCE OF TISSUES TO THE PASSAGE OF THE ELECTRICAL 



CURRENT. 



In the application of electricity in medicine the electrode applied to 

 the body is usually a sponge saturated with fluid and connected with 

 the metal portion of the electrode. The greatest resistance is at the 

 point of contact with the body, and the character of the fluid used has 

 much to do with overcoming the resistance. If the resistance should 

 be considerable, a cautery eflect would be produced, if the current is 

 kept up a sufficient time, and a series of burns might follow with suffi- 

 cient electro-motive force. From a paper in The Electrical Worlds 

 of May 26, 1890, the average of a series of resistance on the human 

 body, made by Dr. W. T. Stone, is as follows : Foot to foot resistance 

 of three adults gave 935 ohms. The average resistance from foot to 

 hand of same parties gave 1,126 ohms. These from the context of re- 

 port, are considered continuous current resistances. 



In same paper, experiments conducted by Mr. Wm. Laut Carpenter, 

 are interesting as showing the decreased resistance obtained by a steady 

 continuance of application. Resistance taken from foot to foot with 

 dry skin was 10,300 ohms, with salt and water to saturate electrode ; in 

 I minute 4,300 ohms, in 10 minutes 1,900 ohms, 20 minutes 1,540 

 ohms, 30 minutes 1,400 ohms, 40 minutes 1,250 ohms, 50 minutes 

 1,200 ohms, 60 minutes 1,190 ohms to 1,200 ohms. 



In the same paper, entitled "Alternating v. Continuous Currents in re- 

 lation to the Human Body," by H. Newman Lawrence and Arthur Har- 

 ries, the authors present three series of measurements on ten adults of ages 

 from 21 to 40 years. Tin electrodes, each of 50 square centimeters area, 

 were used, the extended palms being placed on or grasping the elec- 

 trodes. The conditions which might occur in accidental grasping of 

 electrodes of conductors from dynamo currents were similated as near 

 as possible ; the average of the three tables given v^ere as follows : 



Resistance to continuous currents. — Table No. i, dry hands, 38,140 

 ohms ; moistened with distilled water, 15,250 ohms ; moist with salt 

 water, 9,557 ohms. 



Alternating Currents. — Table No. 2. — Dry hands, 4,155 ohms ; moist 

 with distilled water, 1,7220 hms ; moist with salt water, 1,365 ohms. 



