Electro-physiology and electro-therapeutics : showing the best methods for the medical uses of electricity / By Alfred C. Garratt.
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fluence the unaffected arm when applied to them ; then, on aug- menting the number of plates, both arms were moved, but the paralytic arm more than the other. We now substituted Hoar- der's electro-magnetic apparatus in the place of Cruikshank's battery. Both arms were now moved, but the unaffected more than the paralytic arm, the muscles being more powerfully con- tracted, as observed both by the sight and touch — a difference which became still more obvious as the power of the apparatus was augmented. " Having thus pointed out the source of the discrepancy be- tween the results obtained by Dr. Todd and myself, I need not pro- ceed any further. Still, there are so many and such important questions in this inquiry, that I am anxious to be allowed to ad- duce fresh evidences of the statements made in my former papers. Most of all, I would call the attention of the society to the great physiological principles involved in this inquiry, viz., that, while volition is an exhauster of the irritability of the muscular fibre, this irritability is essentially dependent on the influence of the spinal marrow. I wish to call their attention, also, to the impor- tant application of galvanism as a test of that irritability, and as a diagnostic between the cases of paralysis, in which, first, the influence of the cerebrum, or, secondly, the influence of the spi- nal marrow, is severally concerned ; for both these doctrines remain in their full force. " The Terms employed. — Before I proceed, I must also take this opportunity of defining the medical terms employed by me in this discussion. In the first place, by cerebral paralysis, I mean any disease which severs the influence of the spinal marrow from those limbs that are paralyzed. In my former memoir, I re- ferred expressly to the cases of paralysis arising from the severed influence of the spinal marrow, as distinguished from those aris- ing from the severed influence of the cerebrum, merely. " Cerebral paralysis usually depends upon disease of the cere- brum ; but spinal paralysis may depend on disease situated in any locality, even in the cerebrum, if so as to sever the influence of the spinal marrow from the paralyzed muscles. By the term paralysis, too, I mean pure paralysis ; and I carefully distinguish 42*