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

ease in true sciatica, which becomes greatly thickened, first, by venous congestion, and, secondly, by fibrinous deposits. This thickening of the surrounding tissue causes a pressure on the fibrils of the great sciatic cord ; and any lurking inflammation in the sheath of the nerve must, after a time, extend also to the medullary matter contained within it; and this may explain the coexistence of the two opposite sensations of numbness and of pain. The latter is supposed to result from the morbidly in- creased sensibility of the membranous structure which usually attends inflammation ; the former, from the compression of the nerve substance itself, caused by the thickened sheath. Dr. Marshall Hall gave a graphic account of a severe case of sciatica, but a short time before his decease, which illustrates how this great nerve may be thus utterly disorganized, and its functions at first perverted, and finally destroyed. The whole limb, in that case, became useless, and wasted away, ultimately, to mere skin and bone. But this result is only occasional. In the worst cases, although lameness may persist for a long time, yet usually the sufferer ultimately regains mostly the use of the limb. No form of electricity is found useful for acute inflammatory sciatica, unless it be actively employed within the first twelve hours after the sensation of weight, coldness, and numbness in the limb, and while the rigors and the horripilations are still inaugurating the attack. And if this does not peremptorily cut short the invasion, as it usually will do, particularly if it has been aided with ten or twenty grains of Dover's powder, thorough warm bath, and careful nursing, then the acute sciatica must be surrendered to an active antiphlogistic treatment by smart aperients, bleeding or leeching, antimonials, or other diaphoretics, as best adapted to the individual constitution and habits, which then must make the first chapter or " act" in the work. The next must be tonics and ferruginous preparations, if the patient is feeble or aged ; but if in the prime of life and good general health, then quinine, or Fowler's solution, or min- eral acids, are indicated. If plethoric and vigorous, let a small bottle of congress water be taken every morning for a week, and