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

The usual consequences of actual inflammation of the spinal cord, or of its membranes, we know, are effusion of eoagulable lymph, induration of the substance of the cord, either from the inflammation, or from impaired nutrition, or from loss of vitality. This is very often followed by palsy, atrophy, and rigidity in the legs. There may be also other results, from an inflammation affecting the vertebral or the inter-vertebral substance, as caries, exostosis, anchylosis, &c, — any of these are often the pathologi- cal causes of the existing paraplegia; the chief characteristic of which is mainly the loss of voluntary motion, while involun- tary motions, and spasms of the lower limb muscles, are not in- frequent. If the lesion is situated high, in the spine, then spas- modic contractions, more or less permanent, may now and then seize the abdominal muscles, as also those of the lower limbs. Now, these involuntary motions, pains, and spasms are manifest- ly caused by the still existing- irritation or inflammation in the. cord, or in its membranes; or of the roots of the nerves from extravasatcd blood, effused pus, from caries, displaced bone, «te. In the more severe cases from injury, the urinary affection continues, and hastens on the fatal issue; but in all others, the power of passing and retaining the water is restored in some degree, and this improvement is one of the chief indications of the susceptibility of the cord to the restoration of its functions. The bowels, in these cases, are not only torpid, but the evacua- tions are very dark, aud often of a greenish, tar-like appearance, and all the more so the higher in the cord is the seat of the lesion. Sir Benjamin Brodie says he has not met witli the attending symptom of priapism in any case where the seat of lesion was below the sixth dorsal vertebra. Another singular phenomenon, I have often observed, is that in the most profound, manifest, and complete paraplegias, the temperature of the palsied limbs is exalted; i. e., warmer than in health. This does not long continue, nor is it always present in such cases. When it does occur, however, I take it as a discouraging feature, as there will probably result, in spite of treatment, more or less atrophy and contraction in the burning muscles. But these, being facts, must