Chap. XI Of Medical Galvanism
Galvanism, like electricity, has been applied to the human body, for the purpose of removing complaints, and apparently with equal success.
The ingenious Galvani, immediately after his discovery of Galvanism, (or as he called it, animal electricity,) attempted to explain the causes of several diseases by it. Thus in a complaint where there was a total loss of contractile power, as the paralysis, he ascribed the cause to the interposition of a non-conducting substance, which prevented the passage of the Galvanic fluid from the nerve to the muscle, and from the muscle to the nerve. “If artificial electricity (says he,) be conveyed to the head, the nerves or spinal marrow, by means of the conductor of the Leyden phial, paralysis, apoplexy, and even death, will be induced, according as the phial is charged with a greater or less quantity of the electric fluid.—If such effects result from common electricity, may it not be presumed that a sudden afflux of animal electricity towards the brain, may be productive of the most fatal consequences.”
But omitting, as wholly conjectural and unsatisfactory, all theories relating to the effect which Galvanism has upon the animal œconomy, we shall proceed to relate known facts, and the method of applying Galvanism for the relief of certain morbid affections of the human body.
The general mode of operating with Galvanism, is to apply small portions of it at first, and gradually to increase the shock, as circumstances may dictate. It has been customary to remove the cuticle (by means of a blister or otherwise,) from the parts of the body to which the wires, communicating with the two extremities of the battery, are to be applied. This method, which was adopted because the cuticle is a very bad conductor, gave excruciating pain to the patient. Mr. Wilkinson has found it unnecessary, as by moistening the parts, and applying pieces of gold leaf or Dutch-metal, he has succeeded in producing the desired effect. During an operation, one of the conducting wires should be kept in contact with one of the metallic leaves, while the other conductor is to be removed, immediately after it has been brought in contact with the other metallic-leaf—and then replaced and removed successively.
The negative wire of a battery is the most powerful, and it is necessary in some cases to attend to this fact.
In a short time after Galvanism has been applied to a part of the body, a redness becomes perceptible about the part; and if the application be continued too long, vesications and ulcerations will be produced. These symptoms are a little troublesome at first, but do not require any particular treatment for their cure.
Galvanism should be applied twice in twenty four hours, otherwise it is supposed the intervals would be so long, as to prevent any good effects which might arise from it.
We shall now enumerate some disorders in which Galvanism has proved beneficial. In paralytic affections it has afforded considerable relief.—Two instances of mental derangement are recorded by professor Aldini, nephew to Galvani, in which its effects were truly surprising.—One of them afforded an instance of a gradual diminution of the mental energies, which ultimately sunk into stupidity. The other was of an opposite nature:—the system was in a state of violent excitement, and the patient raving and unmanageable.
In rheumatism, spasmodic affections, and deafness, where it does not arise from a natural defect in the organ, Galvanism has been applied generally with advantage. But the most astonishing effects of this wonderful principle have been displayed in cases of suspended animation. Mr. Humboldt made the first experiments relative to this part of our subject, on apparently dead linnets. He put a piece of zinc into the bill, and thrust a sharp piece of silver into the bird, near the other extremity of the body—he then formed a communication between the two, by an iron wire. “What (exclaims he) was my surprise, when I perceived, the moment the contact took place, the linnet open its eyes, stand erect on its feet, and flutter its wings; it again breathed during six or eight minutes, and then expired tranquilly.”
Galvanism is now applied to persons apparently dead, from drowning, hanging, or exposure to noxious gases. In such cases, the body should be divested of its clothing, and placed in a warm bed nearly approaching the natural temperature, and at the same time slight Galvanic shocks should be passed through the body, in such a direction as to affect the heart.—Thus by combining this, with the usual means, the most advantageous consequences may be expected. It may be laid down as a principle, that, in all cases where animation is suspended, and the principle of irritability not destroyed, the stimulus of Galvanism and electricity, if prudently employed, may rouse the dormant energies of vitality, and restore the system to its natural state of activity.