1*22 Electricity and Galvanism. 



the functions this agent fulfils in health, and its applications in disease, 

 are of far greater importance than have been hitherto considered. 



More than 2000 years have elapsed since Thales discovered that 

 pieces of amber, when rubbed, attracted light bodies, and explained 

 the phenomena he observed by supposing that the amber possessed 

 a soul, was endowed with animation, and was nourished by the at- 

 tracted bodies. Nothing further was added to the observations of 

 the Milesian philosopher until the 13th century, the knowledge of 

 electricity remaining for 1500 years in the same state as among the 

 Indian children on the banks of the Orinoko at the present day, who 

 according to Humboldt, amuse themselves with exciting by friction 

 the dry and polished seeds of rushes, and attracting filaments of 

 cotton with them. About the time alluded to, a celebrated physician, 

 Gilbert, of Colchester, a contemporary, according to Dr. Friend, of 

 our first Edward, in his essay " de Magnete," recorded several 

 phenomena connected with electrical excitation, and gave to them the 

 title of electricity — a term derived from the Greek word r?X£K:roor/. 

 Notwithstanding the very considerable developments which the 

 science of electricity received, it was not until the beginning of the 

 present century that anything of real value was done towards eluci- 

 dating its connection with physiology. 



Few things are more interesting and instructive than to trace the 

 birth and progress of an infant science, — to watch the labour-pangs 

 by whch it struggles into existence against the obstacles opposed to 

 it by ignorance, prejudice, and those influences which the illustrious 

 father of the inductive philosophy, the great Lord Bacon, so happily 

 denominated idols, inasmuch as men are too apt, in this blind fealty 

 to the idola sjiecus, theatri et fori, to shut their eyes to the first bursts 

 of truth ; nor is it until the light of a discovery blazes out with suffici- 

 ent brilliancy to dispel the mists and fogs of error and preconceived 

 opinions, that much is done towards giving it its proper position in 

 the circle of the sciences. With all such difficulties had the infant 

 science of galvanic or physiologic electricity to contend with ; and, 

 had time permitted, it would have afforded me no small pleasure to 

 have pointed out its course from its discovery to the present time. 

 I must now, however, content myself with the briefest glance at its 

 history. 



