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

ting, or in any sense remitting, for her limb remained in this state during the summer and fall, until she came to me for electrical treatment. She could scarcely walk when assisted ; but there was one very noticeable feature, for while her walking was slow, hesitating, and extremely irregular, there was a drag- ging of the palsied limb after her, as if a piece of inanimate mat- ter. This indeed is pointed out by Dr. Todd as the very diag- nostic sign between hysterical paralysis and all other lower-limb paralyses arising from other causes. In fact, the limb appears to be merely drawn straight along by such a patient, just as if inanimate, or as an artificial limb, while the foot swings to the one side, nor is she able to straighten it. Upon applying the electro-magnetic test, I found that the rec- tus of the thigh did not at first respond in the least to the half- strength current; but if the electrodes were then similarly placed upon the sound other limb, response was there prompt and complete. Thus was this by history and test, fairly diagnosticat- ed as a case of hysterical paralysis, and as such was treated by suddenly alternated primary and secondary currents of electrici- ty. The electrodes were always placed, the one over the nerve trunk, say at the right abdominal ring, or at the anterior crest of the ilium, or just under Poupart's ligament, while the other electrode was being swept along the border points of the affected muscles, and at the same time using a strong Faradaic current that was suddenly reversed, say every fifteen seconds, by the current changer of the key-board. The sittings continued nev- er over fifteen minutes, and were repeated every other day for one month. The cure was complete. Hysterical paralysis of the. bladder is not uncommon, and it should be recognized, so as to receive the general and constitution- al treatment and regimen, as clearly and as thoroughly as the lo- cal. Sir Benjamin Brodie indeed lays down the rule, that the catheter should not be resorted to in these cases, only in those ex- treme exceptions where the paralysis is actual. A similar want of power over the rectum sometimes occurs in this state of the ner- vous system. Now, in most of these cases, it is not so much the fact that the muscles are incapable of obeying the orders of