ELECTRO-THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS. 15 



in this direction, still greater progress in medical electricity may be 

 expected in the near futui-e. 



Modern electro-therapeutic apparatus may be described as follows ; 

 — 1. A faradic battery. 2. A galvanic battery, with not less than 

 30 cells. 3. A good galvanometer. 4. A rheostat. 5. A commu- 

 tator or its equivalent. 6. Rheophores or insulated wires for convey- 

 ing the current, and 7, a complete set of electrodes. Asa complete 

 set of apparatus is pi-esent for inspection a detailed description is 

 unnecessary. 



In the matter of galvanic batteries the ])ortable form is the most 

 convenient for general practice, while large cells in a stationary form 

 are used in hospitals and also by specialists in office practice. Port- 

 able batteries have been greatly improved of late and seem to leave 

 very little to be desired. For general purposes the portable chloride 

 of silver battery is the most convenient, while for electrolysis and 

 especially for operations in gynaecology a modification of the Mcintosh 

 zinc-carbon or chromic acid battery is to be preferred. He wished, 

 however, moi'e pai'ticularly to call attention to some new apparatus 

 quite recently devised for regulating, controlling and registering the 

 galvaiiic current when used in medicine or surgeiy. These are, first, 

 a new form of galvanometer, called a milliampere meter ; second, a 

 new form of rheostat. 



The milliampere meter is a modification of the galvanometer, and 

 indicates, firstly, the presence of the galvanic current ; secondly, its 

 direction ; and thirdly, the strength of said current in milliampei-es. 

 By the use of this instrument the dose of electricity may now be both 

 prescribed and administered as definitely as a dose of medicine can be 

 weighed or measured. The new rheostat, known as the Bailey rheostat, 

 is an apparatus for interposing a column of water into the galvanic 

 circuit so as to break the force of said current before it is allowed to 

 pass through vital parts of the body. 



It prevents any shock to the nervous system, and furthermore, 

 when combined with the use of the milliampere meter, the strength 

 of the current can be very accurately gauged by inci-easing or dimin- 

 ishing the quantity of water interposed in the ci)-cuit. The maximum 

 number of cells are placed in direct circuit, and no commutator for 

 increasing or diminishing the number of said cells is required, the 



