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

that with very decided and immediate relief. To the third case, the inverse current, being indicated, was applied, which, in one minute, not only removed the pain, but consciousness also; in which state she remained for some ten or fifteen minutes. Upon restoration, she said that her side was quite numb. This was an instance not only of local but of general anaesthesia, pro- duced, by the aid of the continuous current of electricity, in less than one minute." It is to be regretted that, in so interesting a matter, the number and size of the elements, and kind of battery power employed, were not mentioned. But doubtless this was a very nervous or peculiarly impressible case, and gave not the ordinarily to be expected result of galvanic electricity, unless employed in just such cases, or else there is an outrageous battery strength brought to bear, that is entirely disproportionate to the nerve endurance of the patient, and hence dangerous. It is my own opinion, judging from the sketch of the case, that a too strong or too long- continued current was employed for the constitution or condition of that particular case; that is, the same current might have been borne for fifteen or twenty seconds, and even accom- plished the purpose and no more, that so affected her in fifty; or half that current could have been borne the whole fifty sec- onds, with only good results. Another very curious example of anaesthesia produced by the primary current, and local in this instance, is thus reported by Dr. Coot, of Liverpool: " A young lady, paralyzed in her right arm since her third year of age, was wearing a local galvanic arrangement for the generation of the continuous current, to excite the circulation, during the intermittences of the regular application of the interrupted current, which was being done to arouse the paralyzed muscles. One day she complained that the arm was colder than before she wore the local battery; and, in fact, on examination, it was found more like a piece of marble, and perfectly without sensation ! Upon further investigation, I found that she had, upon exciting anew the chain, returned it to the arm wrong, i. e., so that an inverse current passed instead of a direct, thus producing anaesthesia. I was convinced from this,