Electro-physiology and electro-therapeutics : showing the best methods for the medical uses of electricity / By Alfred C. Garratt.
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and this removes the more urgent or prominent symptoms of pain and stiffness most readily, and, at the same time, seems to prepare the thus conditioned tissues for the better and more thorough in-working primary current of galvanism, — say, from twenty to thirty Darnell's elements subsequently brought to bear for eradicating, as it were, the dregs of the disease, — that discrasia that seems to be so prone to remain and act as a nu- cleus for a more ready or easy return of the complaint from slight causes. In fact, this should be kept constantly in mind while treating this class of painful maladies, as it so greatly de- termines the future condition of the patient. As a rule to guide us as to how long we must wait for the fever and active inflammation to be put out or subside, I find that the larger are the bones and joints which are the scat of the affection, the more boldly we may venture to proceed with our electric treatments ; but this not to the exclusion of other means indicated, nor yet neglecting the regimen. Another rule I have also adopted, for being on the safe side, at least, until we know more, and that is, never disturb old gouty cases (as we are often solicited to do) while they remain at ease from pain and swelling, but the instant the pain appears, be notified, and that very hour attack it, and never leave until it is subdued and quiet again, and so hold it in check by daily watch- ing and vigilance. But if not so fortunate, if the call is later, or by any means the fever and local inflammation have fairly set in and rage, then other influences must be relied upon until the proper condition is arrived at, that admits of the attempt of the cata- lytical in-working of the primary current of galvanism. Hysteria. Hysteria has historically two significations: the one is symp- tom atical, the other truly etiological. When examined under the symptomatic point of view, it is any thing but a rigorously determined pathological condition, so that, in practice, the purely nominal diagnosis is often a deception, in part or in whole, no one knowing exactly what is to be understood by the