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

Such was the state of matters after three months' treatment by- galvanism ! What further improvement might have been at- tained, (cure, of course, was always out of the question,) had the means been pursued, must be conjectural, for at this period the patient became weary of the treatment, and ceased to attend. That any amelioration should be attainable in so bad a case, must speak well of the means that procured it. Though I do not hold it up as one of success, I do hold it to be successful in some degree, inasmuch as galvanism doubtless did more to re- lieve than any of the other remedies employed." Case. — Everett G. presented at my rooms for electric treat- ment with old rheumatic contractions of the flexor muscles of the right forearm. This was an extremely bad case of general rheumatism, which appeared to affect him in all his extremities, showing swellings or enlargements in both his hands and feet; but the greatest suffering was about the right shoulder joint, and so down the arm. Treatment. — At first, gave him a sitting with a current from twenty Darnell's elements, through and through the shoulder from front, backwards, by placing the positive electrode over the upper portion of the pectoral muscles, while the negative was over the nerve cireiimflexor humeri, and this was maintained for two minutes. I then moved the negative a little to the posterior lower portion of the muscle deltoides, for two minutes more; next from there to the nerve circumflex for two minutes; next from there to the fossa supra spinata, with an up-running cur- rent ; this finished the seance. Next day found him greatly benefited, not only in that arm, but every other way ; repeated such applications for ten days, when the contractions of the arm were quite gone. The next few days directed the current up- wards through the extensor muscle triceps, and downwards through the flexor muscle biceps. Progress now very great; can lift his hand to the top of his head, which he has not been able to do before for ten or twelve years. He was encouraged to continue to come once or twice a week, and the after-sittings were devoted, respectively, first to this joint or limb, and then to that, until he was almost as supple and well as ever.