Electricity and Galvanism. 261 



body who will take the trouble of referring to them. I am more 

 anxious to avail myself of this opportunity of presenting to the mem- 

 bers of the College the results which have fallen under my own 

 personal experience. 



Electricity has been by no means fairly treated as therapeutical 

 agent, for it has either been exclusively referred to when all other 

 remedies have failed, — in fact, often exclusively, or nearly so, in help- 

 less Cases, — or its administration has been carelessly directed, and the 

 mandate, " Let the patient be electrified," merely given, without 

 reference to the manner, form, or mode of the remedy being for an 

 instant taken into consideration. 



Conscientiously convinced that the agent in question is a no less 

 energetic than valuable remedy in the treatment of disease, I feel 

 most anxious to press its employment upon the practical physician, 

 and to urge him to have recourse to it as a rational but fallible remedy, 

 and not to regard it as one either expected or capable of effecting im- 

 possibilities. I again say, I shall advance nothing but what has been 

 repeatedly tested under my own observation, purposing to lay before 

 you the results of many years' careful clinical experience in this 

 matter in the wards of Guy's Hospital, and hope to make out a strong 

 case in favour of this too much neglected remedy. 



In the autumn of 1836, the authorities of the hospital thought fit 

 to set apart a room for the administration of electricity. Clinical 

 clerks were appointed to record the cases, and the whole was placed 

 under my control, and remained in my hands during eight years ; 

 and since my other duties compelled me to give up this charge, my 

 successor, Dr. Gull, has watched over it with great zeal and assiduity. 

 In the case-books of this department of our hospital is recorded a 

 large mass of clinical experience on the subject before us, — larger, I 

 presume, than exists anywhere else, — and from these records I pro- 

 pose to cull such matters as appear of the greatest interest and 

 highest practical importance. 



Before alluding to the different diseases in which I have employed 

 electricity, I am anxious to allude to one special application of it 

 which has lately occurred to me, and which I think will not be 

 deemed uninteresting and unimportant. We often wish, and indeed 

 require, to produce a persistent discharge from some part of the 



