1884.] 
Analyses of Books. 
681 
Journal of the Society of Telegraph Engineers and Electricians. 
Vol. XIII., No. 53. London : E. and F. N. Spon. 
This issue contains a most important paper, by Dr. W. H. 
Stone, on the “ Physiological Bearing of Electricity on Health.” 
The author begins with the admission that the whole question 
of electricity, as applied to physiological subjects, is in a state of 
great confusion. He writes : — “ While electricity has been 
making bigger strides than any other physical science, the so- 
called medical electricity (I abominate the term, for there is no 
such thing ; but I mean electricity as applied to physiology, and 
therefore to a certain extent to therapeutical pursuits and ends) 
has marvellously hung back, and it is certainly still in the ante- 
Faradaic period.” One of the reasons which Dr. Stone gives 
for this backwardness is suggestive : — “ The knowledge of 
physics and the knowledge of physiology is rarely united, and is 
to a certain extent incongruous, I might even say antagonistic. 
The mind of the physiologist is not the mind of the physicist, 
and there is occasionally a little heating from friction between 
the two.” And yet the boundary-line between these two sciences 
ought to be remarkably fruitful in discoveries ! 
In proof of public ignorance of the physiological bearings of 
electricity, Dr. Stone quotes from a recent pamphlet the remark- 
able utterance that “ man is himself a magnet ; that his blood 
and every tissue of his body is pervaded by magnetic influence ; 
that he may be aCted upon magnetically by magnets ; that in 
some persons the magnetism disengaged by the contraction 
of the muscles is sufficient to defleCt the needle of the com- 
pass, &c.” 
Another recent author asserts that the resistance of the body 
varies within wide limits — 300 to 100,000 ohms ! He adds : — 
“ Suffice it to say that the rheostats are conveniently made of 
telegraph-wire, well insulated in india-rubber, and the electrodes 
called so because the human body behaves like an electrolyte in 
the circuit.” 
After these specimens of Science for the million, our author 
expounds the methods in which eleCtric aCtion may prove fatal. 
There are, firstly, very high tension currents— such as lightning 
— which kill instantly, as if by concussion of the brain. 
In another class of cases there is electrolytic aCtion, — aCtual 
decomposition of the animal taking place, of course, at one of 
the poles. An instance of this kind has come under Dr. Stone’s 
observation. 
The third case is thrombosis, — coagulation in the heart, the 
lungs, or the larger arteries or veins. Here death is not in- 
stantaneous. Of this kind was the death at Birmingham where 
a musician in an orchestra seized hold of two terminals, and 
VOL. VI. (THIRD SERIES) 
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