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LECTURE V.

Action of Electricity on Contractile Tissues. — Application of Electricity to excite Uterine Contractions. — Dr. Radford's Views. Excitation of Uterine Action de novo — - In Flooding after Abortion In Paralysis of the Bladder · Incontinence of Urine.· Treatment of Paralysis.— Different Forms of.— Dropped Hands of Painters. Rheumatic Paralysis.

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- Paralysis of the Portio

Paralysis from Local Injury. — Hysterical Paralysis.

Aphonia in Hysterical Girls.
Nervous Exhaustion.

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- Paralysis from Anamia and Paralysis from Cerebral or Spinal Structural Lesions. -Electricity as a Stimulant to the Absorbents In Rheumatic Effusions — In Tonsillitis. - Application of, in Neuralgia- In Narcotic Poisoning In Drowning. - Local Anæsthesia.-Treatment of Chorea and allied Affections by Electricity. · Analysis of the Cases. -Rationale of the Action of Electricity. -Treatment of Amenorrhœa.— General Rules for. —-Conclusion.

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WE have seen that electricity, under all its modifications, is a most energetic agent in exciting contractions of muscular fibre. Indeed, we have, in several instances, actually used the irritable fibres of the muscles of a frog's leg as a positive test of the existence of an electric current. susceptibility to the stimulus of electricity is not limited to real muscular tissue, but is equally participated in by those white contractile tissues, which by some physiologists are hardly regarded as belonging to the class of true muscles. I

allude particularly to the muscular coats of arteries, intestines, and bronchial tubes, as well as the structure of the uterus. Dr. J. C. B. Williams has actually demonstrated the contractibility of a bronchus under the influence of a current of voltaic electricity. The experiment already related, in which the current of a single pair of plates passing from the mouth to the anus of an ox, recently killed, excited the peristaltic motion of the intestines and induced defecation, sufficiently proves the susceptibility of the muscular structure of the intestines to the stimulus of electricity. Indeed, I have repeatedly had my attention directed by patients under electric treatment for various diseases to the influence of this agent as a purgative. A gentleman who, some years ago, was under my care for paraplegia, accidentally noticed that the passage of a current from the electromagnetic machine across the abdomen, in the direction of the transverse colon, almost always induced a desire to empty the bowels, and he has ever since appealed to this remedy as a purgative. He assures me it seldom fails.

But there is another special application of electricity which I dare not pass over in silence, although I cannot from my own personal experience say anything about it, as the cases to which it is referable fall under the province of the accoucheur. Few cases are more appalling than those of flood

ing during labour; none can occur in which the woman's life is more immediately dependent upon the moral courage, promptitude, and skill of the accoucheur. Among other causes inducing this hæmorrhage, an atonic state of the uterus is the most dangerous. In such cases, as well as in many forms of placenta prævia, where the blood is fast gushing from the uterus, and the woman's powers as rapidly sinking, a distinguished provincial obstetric physician, Dr. Radford, of Manchester, has advocated the employment of induced electro-magnetic currents to induce energetic contraction of the uterus. He has further suggested its application for the purpose of originating uterine contractions de novo in cases where it is important to induce premature labour, as well as in certain cases of menorrhagia in the unimpregnated state, where the uterus is found large, atonic, and flaccid.

Dr. Radford applies the electricity of the electromagnetic machine, one of the conductors being passed over the abdomen, especially in the neighbourhood of the fundus uteri, the other being introduced into the vagina so as to be brought into contact with the os uteri. This vaginal con

ductor is made of stout brass wire, covered with a non-conducting material, as caoutchouc, and terminated by a ball of silver, by which the electric current is conveyed to the uterus.

This practice, so far as its application to the

gravid uterus is concerned, has received the sanction of my colleague, Dr. Lever, whose high obstetric experience invests his opinion with great weight. This gentleman has availed himself of the use of the electric current in cases where atony of the uterus existed, and where, from threatening exhaustion, independent of danger of hæmorrhage, immediate delivery was important. An excellent illustration of this occurred under the notice of a talented and excellent practitioner, a former pupil of mine, Mr. Cleveland (now of Aldersgate Street), the notes of which I will read to you: — "I was requested to see M. C., æt. 39, in her sixteenth confinement, on Friday morning, June 6th, 1845.

"On my arrival at the house, I learned that her previous labours had been tolerably good; with two or three exceptions, when they had been considerably protracted from want of pains: she stated that her health had always been delicate, and for the last few weeks she had had a troublesome cough, attended with copious expectoration, emaciation, and occasional night sweats,-symptoms that induced me to suspect she had phthisis, although subsequently this diagnosis was not confirmed by a physical examination of the chest.

"On the Sunday evening prior to my visiting her, she was attacked with the premonitory symptoms of labour, soon succeeded by regular

and frequent pains, which, on the following morning, abated, but never entirely left her until the Wednesday night, when the liquor amnii was discharged.

“At 1 A.M. on the Friday, the pains returned with considerable vigour, but did not last above an hour, and at 6 A. M. they were again renewed for a short time. It was about four hours after this period that I found Mr. T., a medical practitioner in the neighbourhood, with the patient. He had administered a dose of the tincture of ergot, and also some spirit and water; but these measures were followed by only a few slight and ineffectual pains.

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Having ascertained by an examination per vaginam that there was no obstacle to the termination of the case but a want of contraction of the uterus, and believing it desirable that, as there were some rather alarming symptoms of exhaustion manifested, no time should be lost, I was soon provided with an efficient electro-galvanic apparatus, and resolved on a trial of electricity.

"I was gratified in finding, after a few applications of the remedy externally and obliquely across the anterior surface of the uterus, alternately changing the position of the conducting wires, that a very decided effect was produced. Regular, strong, and frequent pains came on, and, in the course of a quarter of an hour, a living

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