Part 11

CONSTIPATION OF BOWELS.

This disease may proceed from either a negative condition--a state of atony from lack of nutrition, or a partial paralysis of the bowels--or from a positive condition--a state of relaxation and consequent weakness of the muscular tissues of the bowels. In either of these cases, the peristaltic action of the intestines becomes enfeebled, and constipation ensues.

In either case, use the A D current, of medium force. In the first-mentioned case, place P. P. at back of neck, or in the mouth with tongue instrument, and treat with N. P. over liver, stomach and bowels; or place N. P. at the anus. Treat so five to eight minutes.

In the second-specified case, place N. P. at back of neck or on the dorsal vertebrae, and treat with P. P. over the bowels five to eight minutes.

In both cases, repeat the treatment daily until relief is afforded. Or, if the case be chronic, treat daily for three or four days, and, after that, three times a week. It is well also to give general tonic treatment as often as once a week. The patient should be urged to retire and invite an evacuation regularly, about the same hour daily, whether success attend it or not.

HAEMORRHOIDS. (Piles.)

If the case be recent, take the B D current; if old, take A D. Place the patient in a recumbent position, and let the rectum instrument, P. P., be introduced, wet. Manipulate with N. P. along the spine upon the dorsal vertebrae. Where there is prolapsus ani, the sponge-roll, placed at the anus, may be used instead of the rectum instrument, particularly for the first few treatments.

RHEUMATISM. (Acute Inflammatory.)

First ascertain if the kidneys be morbidly positive--urine scant and too highly colored. If so, as is commonly the case, begin with the B D current, good medium force. Place N. P. at the pelvis, and treat over the kidneys with P. P. some three or four minutes. Let this be the commencement of every treatment until this difficulty is corrected.

Next, change to A D current. If the disease be located in the hips or lower limbs, put the feet in warm water with the tin electrode N. P., or place the sponge-roll N. P. at the soles of the feet, and treat with P. P. upon and a little above the affected parts; using such force of current as the patient can bear. The pain will commonly subside under treatment. If the disease be as low as the ankles or feet, use the long cord with N. P.

If the shoulders, arms or hands be affected, treat them on the same principles as are prescribed for the lower limbs; using the long cord with N. P. when the disease is below the elbows.

When the disease is in the hands or feet, or near to them, if the shoulders or hips be not involved, it is often necessary, after three or four treatments as above described, to reverse the poles for a few moments, giving an ascending current; but still using the long cord with N. P.

If the disease be located anywhere in the trunk, neck or head, treat the affected part with P. P., placing N. P. on some adjacent part of the spine, and usually at a point somewhat lower down than the disease.

For acute inflammatory rheumatism, treat once a day. The length of time for each treatment must depend on the location and extent of the affected part or parts. In this matter, the practitioner must decide for himself, or infer from the time prescribed in the treatment of other inflammatory affections.

RHEUMATISM. (Chronic.)

Use the A D current always in rheumatic affections. If there be no visible inflammation or swelling in the diseased parts, approach such parts in the same manner as in acute inflammatory rheumatism, except with reversed poles. The parts affected require to come under the N. P. rather than the P. P., and to be treated with considerable force. There are apparently exceptional cases, referred to on page 83, which see.

Where joints are being dislocated, treat the parts with N. P., quite mild force, so long as it can be done without exciting acute inflammation. If this should arise, it must be repressed with P. P.

Treat chronic rheumatism about three times a week.

DROPSY.

Use the A D current, moderate force. Give general tonic treatment; then place P. P. with the feet, in a vessel of warm water, or place the sponge-roll P. P. at the soles of the feet, and treat the affected parts a few minutes with N. P., to quicken the absorbents. If the disease be in the feet or lower limbs, use long cord with P. P. while treating them. Next place N. P. upon the lower part of the bladder, or, what is better, immediately below the pubic articulation, and treat over the kidneys three to five minutes with P. P. Repeat the treatments about three times a week.

NEURALGIA.

If the disease be general in the system, moving from place to place, or causing transient acute pains here and there, give general tonic treatment, three times a week, for several weeks--perhaps a month or two, provided the case be an old one. This will invigorate the nervous system and equalize the electric action. Relief will be afforded soon; but for the sake of cure, the treatment of an old case should be continued as here directed. If the disease be local, use the B D current, with as much force as the patient can bear without irritating painfulness. Treat the affected part, or parts, with P. P., placing N. P., long cord, upon some approximate healthy part, at a point a little lower down than the part in pain. The spine, when convenient, is commonly the best point for it. In treating the painful part, pass the electrode more or less also over the nerves adjacent to the one principally affected. Treat five to eight minutes daily.

SCIATICA.

This is neuralgia in an ischiatic nerve, commonly the great ischiatic.

Use the B D current, strong as the patient can well bear. Place the foot in warm water with N. P., or place the sponge-roll N. P. at the sole of the foot, (the former is the best,) and treat with P. P. over the painful part, and also, more or less, over adjacent parts. It is also well, in order to prevent too much exhaustion of the limb, to reverse the poles every third or fourth time; but in so doing, use the long cord with N. P.

PARALYSIS.

Take the B D current, medium force. If the paralysis be in a lower limb, place P. P., long cord, upon the lower lumbar vertebrae, so as to reach the hypogastric plexus, and treat with the metallic brush, N. P., five to eight minutes, over all the affected parts. Then close the sitting with reversed poles, about one to two minutes, having P. P., long cord, at the foot, and manipulating over the parts affected, and especially over the lumbar vertebrae, with N. P. This is to prevent depletion by running off the electro-vital fluid too much, and to force the electric current through the nerves in an upward and inward tonic-giving direction. If the disease be in an arm or hand, treat it in a manner analogous to the above; extending the treatment from back of neck to the affected parts.

In case of hemiplegia or paraplegia, run the current from the healthy side of the spine, (in hemiplegia,) or from a healthy part of the spine, (in paraplegia,) to and through the paralyzed parts, by placing P. P., long cord, on spine, and manipulating with N. P., metallic brush commonly, upon the parts paralyzed. Close the treatment with reversed poles for a moment or two, as in the preceding cases. Old paralysis requires considerable time to cure it. Treat about three times a week, occasionally omitting a week.