Electro-physiology and electro-therapeutics : showing the best methods for the medical uses of electricity / By Alfred C. Garratt.

conjointly with their fellows, the antagonizes on the opposite side, in staying the head erect; and they also rotate the head. These muscles are liable to paralysis on one side, and perhaps simultaneous contraction on the other. The electric excitement can well develop their physiological action. The sacro-lumbalis takes its origin from the sacrum, ilium, and lumbar vertebrae, and is inserted into the angles of the six lower ribs. We must be aware, that its action is to keep the lumbar vertebra? erect. If its fellow on the opposite side is weakened, relaxed, or paralyzed, it will contract, or vice versa, and thus constitute a "persistent lumbar curvature." The longissimus dorsi also arises from the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae, and is radiated so as to be inserted into the angles of eleven ribs, and the transverse processes of all the dorsal and lumbar vertebrae. This muscle, too, is to be reached by the electric stimulus. If it is unbalanced with its antagonizcr, it contributes to a " lumbar curvature " of the spine. Therefore we can say, not empirically, but rationally, that " spinal curva- tures" from these causes, or complicated with these muscle deviations, can be cured by electric currents, or, at least, aided in their cure. The electro-muscular contraction test, thus aids us in deter- mining the exact physiological action of all the muscles of the back, (which are liable to be not only neuralgic or rheumatic, but also enfeebled, relaxed, palsied, and even atrophied, and hence, also, involved in many spinal curvatures, and other affec- tions,) but perhaps not so familiar to the profession generally. They can be summed up thus: — 1. In the cervical region we find that the grand normal action of the trapezius is to draw the cervical spine towards the shoul- der, and the shoulder towards the cervical portion of the spine. The levator angidi scapula; lifts the scapula towards the head, and draws the head over laterally towards the back shoulder. The rhomboideus minor draws the scapula upward and back- ward to the spine, and the spine towards the scapula. The splenius capitis draws the head over obliquely, i. e., laterally and posteriorly. The splenius colli draws the cervical vertebras off