Chap. XVIII Medical Electricity
Electricity has one advantage over other medical applications, in as much as it may be applied to the healthy, as well as the diseased part of the body, without proving prejudicial, and because it requires rather a nice application, than a perfect knowledge of the complaint. In a number of cases it has unquestionably proved salutary.
When electricity was first used in removing bodily complaints, it was done only by means of the Leyden phial pretty highly charged; but this mode of administering it, was strenuously opposed by Mr. Lovet, who was a celebrated electrical practitioner, and in an essay called Subtil medium proved, asserts that electricity should be used in small sparks, by which mode of treatment he affirms he scarcely ever failed curing or at least relieving his patients.
The apparatus for medical electricity in addition to the machine described in chapter IV, is an insulating stool. This stool is made in the common way, only that the feet must be of glass, the upper or wooden part, should be about three feet square, so that a chair or bench may conveniently stand upon it; care must be taken to leave no sharp edges about the stool. For a representation of one, see plate letter W.
The next instrument necessary for the electrical physician is a coated jar, furnished with Mr. Lane’s electrometer. This instrument is made in the following manner. From the wire extending beyond the mouth of the jar, at about four inches from the upper extremity, let a piece of glass or baked wood three inches long, project at right angles. At the outer extremity of this stem let another piece of baked wood three inches long, be fixed parallel to the rod of the jar; the upper end of the parallel stem must be furnished with a brass socket, through which a graduated wire may easily pass. This wire must be furnished with a knob upon the end which is next the jar, and a hook or ring at its other extremity, to which a chain connected with the outer coating of the jar must be attached. From this construction it is readily perceived that the force of the discharge or shock, will be proportioned to the distance of the ball of the electrometer, and the usual ball of the jar; i. e. when the shock is large it will pass from one knob to the other at a larger distance, and when small at a smaller distance, and thus the distance will be the measure of the shock.—The next thing to be provided is a ball, either of metal, or of wood covered with tin foil; this must have a metallic handle, which may be separated from the ball at pleasure, having at one of its extremities a sharp point to receive a stream of electric fire; small pointed pieces of wood made in a conical shape, may be fixed on this point, when the patient requires a degree of electricity between a spark and a stream.
The bottle director is the next instrument to be described. It is exactly the same with the common Leyden phial, with the addition only of a hook cemented to the bottom. To use this director (suppose for instance you wished to pass a shock through the arm) let a communication be made between its inner coating and the prime-conductor, by which means it will be charged; then let a chain be fastened, by one end, to the hook which is at the bottom; then by applying the other end of the chain (which may be furnished with a ball) to one side of the arm, and the knob of the jar to the other, a shock will be given.
These are the instruments for the electrical physician. We are now to describe the manner in which electricity may be applied to the best advantage.
1st. By simply placing the patient upon the electrical stool. While the machine is in action the patient constantly emits the overplus of the electric fluid that he receives, which continually passes off from every part of his body, and produces a salutary effect. It may be suspected that so gentle a treatment could have but little influence. It is however upon good authority we assert, that nervous and sedentary persons have derived considerable advantage from this mode of application.
2d. By electric friction. Let the part affected be covered with a piece of flannel or woollen cloth, and place the patient upon the insulated chair, and connect him with the prime-conductor; then take a metallic ball, communicating with the earth, and rub it over the flannel or woollen cloth. Electricity thus applied has often removed violent spasms, and many other afflicting complaints.
3d. By drawing sparks. Let the patient, as in the last instance, be placed upon the insulated stool, and connected with the prime-conductor; then bring the metallic ball, communicating with the ground, within about half an inch of the part affected, and sparks will pass from it to the ball. Cutaneous eruptions, scrophulous tumours and deafness, are frequently benefitted, and sometimes removed, by this method of application. Deafness, in particular, has been entirely cured by the electric spark, when every other remedy has proved ineffectual. One of these cases came under our own observation. A gentleman who was affected with an almost total loss of hearing for more than six months, was advised by his physician to make a trial of electricity as a remedy. He applied to us, and was under our care about four or five weeks, when he left us almost entirely recovered. This gentleman was treated in the following manner.
We placed him on an insulated chair communicating with the prime-conductor. Then, with a blunt pointed wire inserted into a glass tube, we drew sparks from the meatus auditorius. This operation was continued for eight or ten minutes, at every visit. He commonly attended us twice or thrice a week. We were fully persuaded that the cure would have been more speedy, if he had received the electricity more frequently.
4th. By the stream. Place the patient as in the two last instances; then bring the point, instead of the ball, near the part affected. When the electrical stream is to be applied the wooden point is preferable to the metallic one. Inflammations and other diseases of the eyes, and several other disorders, have been thus removed.
5th. By the director. Place the patient on a chair—insulation in this case being unnecessary. Then lay the ball, which communicates with the outside coating of the director, upon the affected part; after which, bring the director, which must have been previously charged, near any other part of the body, and the intended operation will be performed. It is impossible to tell the precise quantity of electricity which ought to be administered in every complaint, because persons who are affected with the same disease will sometimes require very different degrees of electrization, which must be judged of by the nature of their constitution, their habits of body, and other circumstances. Small sparks will sometimes have more effect upon a delicate and irritable constitution, than pretty powerful shocks upon others. The Leyden phial, with Mr. Lane’s electrometer, is the most convenient instrument for sending shocks of different powers through particular parts of the body.—To use this.—Let the wire of the electrometer be placed at the proper distance for the required shock; connect a chain or wire, communicating with this, with the part affected—and let a communication be made between any other part of the body and the outside coating of the phial. Now turn the cylinder, and the phial, when it has received the proper charge, will discharge itself through the circuit formed by the chains or wires, and the part of the patient which was to be subjected to the shock.