Electro-physiology and electro-therapeutics : showing the best methods for the medical uses of electricity / By Alfred C. Garratt.
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with electric currents, to restore tone and function ; sciatica may occur with a rheumatic taint, or any two or more of the forego- ing forms may occur in the same case; but, after all, it more generally occurs as a pure neuralgia, and simply requires good electrical treatment to cure it. (See p. 475.) Rheumatism. Dr. Gordon, of this city, says he treats an attack of acute rheumatism in the following manner: " After having pro- cured free evacuations by means of senna and salts, I begin the administration of equal parts of vin colchici and spirits terebinth, in ten-drop doses, every two or three hours. Then, after a day or two, I give, in connection with the just-named prescription, (but only at longer intervals, say of six hours each,) tinct. ferri chlor., ten drops, using as much opium as necessary to quiet pain. I also allow a free use of good coffee, that is of average strength. If the appetite remains, the patient is allowed a mod- erate use of his usual food, at the usual meal time." The author has found the above admirably adapted to some cases, while in others, — i. e., for abbreviating the discouraging duration of acute articular or periosteal rheumatisms, — the ad- ministration of large doses of iodide of potassium, with a suffi- cient quantity of sulphate of morphia to control the outrageous pain, proves to be the better means. Give, in the course of the day, from ten grains to half a drachm of the iodide, with, say one half, to one and a half grain of morphia. Bathe the joints and painful parts in a lotion of the cyanuret of potassium, or soap liniment with opium or New England rum, then cover with water dressing, and all well covered with dry flannels. Disease of Articular Cartilages. — Upon inquiring into the pathology of diseased joints, Dr. Bryant, assistant surgeon at Guy's Hospital, says, articular cartilages are so related to two anatomical divisions of tissues, the hard and soft, that they offer an unusually good opportunity of examining the process of cell development, and afford equally to the pathologist the means of studying the changes which nucleated cells undergo in their degeneration or decay.