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ELECTRO-THERAPEUTICS.
CHAPTER I.
NATURAL ELECTRICITY.
In the physical sciences it is now assumed that all bodies, ani-
mate and inanimate, contain a subtile influence which Philoso-
phers have from time to time designated as Natural Electricity.
This influence has two distinct characters. It is divided into
these two parts by natural, as well as by artificial disturbances;
yet is it subtile, invisible, and imponderable. These divisions are
now familiarly known as positive and negative electricities, whose
tendency is to coalesce, and form that equilibrium which we call
natural electricity. The particles or molecules of the one kind,
always attract those of the other, or opposite kind. The mole-
cules of the same kind, be they positive or negative, always
repel their fellows of the same order. Although ever tending
to obtain a counterpoise for a rest, yet as easily and perpetually
are these two electricities unbalanced, even so sure as our re-
volving globe receives her accession, duration, and declination
of solar rays. So also, whatever disturbs any molecule of matter,
fluid or solid, as heat, friction, or chemical action, as also mag-
netism and vitality, liberates active electricity. The relative
greatness of quantity and of tension of the given electricity, varies
even to the greatest extreme, according to its source ; but its
nature is always one and the same.
