A few observations on the influences of electro-galvanism in the cure of chronic rheumatism, certain forms of paralysis, nervous, and other complaints

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Page 118 - I at first laid down, namely, that the chemical power of a current of electricity is in direct proportion to the absolute quantity of electricity which passes (377, 783).
Page 41 - In electricity we possess the only really direct emmenagogue with which the experience of our profession has furnished us : I do not think I have ever known it fail to excite menstruation where the uterus was capable of performing this function.
Page 26 - If the brain be an electric pile constantly in action, it may be conceived to discharge itself at regular intervals, when the tension of the electricity developed reaches a certain point, along the nerves which communicate with the heart, and thus to excite the pulsation of that organ.
Page 118 - ... the electricity which decomposes, and that which is evolved by the decomposition of, a certain quantity of matter, are alike.
Page 5 - ... muscle is positive in relation to any point of the natural or artificial transverse section." 5. By means of the abovementioned law an explanation is afforded of the muscular current appearing in one instance an upward one, in another a downward one, which occurs according as the upper or the under of the two transverse sections is made to touch one of the ends of the galvanometer wire, whilst the other end is applied to the longitudinal section of the muscle. This is true even as regards shreds...
Page 118 - I conceive the effects to arise from forces which are internal, relative to the matter under decomposition — and not external, as they might be considered, if directly dependent upon the poles. I suppose that the effects are due to a modification, by the electric current, of the chemical affinity of the particles through or by which that current is passing, giving them the power of acting more forcibly in one direction than in another, and consequently making them...
Page 88 - If any part of a nerve is submitted to the action of a permanent current, the nerve, in its whole extent, suddenly undergoes a material change in its internal constitution, which disappears on breaking the circuit as suddenly as it came on. This change, which is called the electro-tonic state, is evidenced by a new electro-motive power, which every point of the whole length of the nerve acquires during the passage of the current, so as to produce, in addition to the nerve...
Page 118 - Passing to the consideration of electro-chemical decomposition, it appears to me that the effect is produced by an internal corpuscular action, exerted according to the direction of the electric current, and that it is due to a force either superadded to, or giving direction to the ordinary chemical affinity of the bodies present.
Page 35 - ... In the former, although the galvanism was not of sufficient power to occasion evident digestion of the food, yet the efforts to vomit, and the difficulty of breathing, constant effects of dividing the eighth pair of nerves, were prevented by it. These symptoms recurred when it was discontinued, and vanished on its reapplication. " The respiration of the animal...
Page 114 - This battery establishes that gases, in combining and acquiring a liquid form, evolve sufficient force to decompose a similar liquid, and cause it to acquire a gaseous form. This is, to my mind, the most interesting effect of the battery ; it exhibits such a beautiful instance of the correlation of natural forces.

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