Part 12

ERYSIPELAS.

Take the A. D. current, medium force, in all forms of the diseases.

1. When acute, and characterized by high inflammation, with bright, smooth swelling, and spreading gradually and sometimes rapidly to surrounding parts; or when small vesicles appear on the inflamed parts, which dry up in little branlike scales and fall off.

If it be located anywhere upon the face, place N. P., long cord, upon back of neck, and treat the parts affected with P. P. Treat about three to five minutes at a time, three or four times daily.

If it be located in the arm or hand, place the extremity in tepid water with N. P., long cord, and treat upon or just above the diseased part with P. P.

If it be in any part of the trunk, (which, in this form, is not so common,) place N. P., long cord, upon some point of the spine as near the diseased part as may be, but a little lower down, and treat the part affected with P. P.

In each of these cases, treat briefly, but frequently, as directed above.

2. When small, blister-like, serous vesicles--phlyctaena--appear, and the inflammation terminates in gangrene; or when there is such an infiltration of serum as to produce an dematous condition, place P. P., long cord, upon some convenient healthy part, (the spinal cord, or other nerve centre which gives nervous service to the part affected, is best,) and treat the lesion with N. P., light force, five to eight minutes daily.

ERUPTIVE CUTANEOUS DISEASES.

Take A D current, pretty vigorous force in acute cases; mild in chronic affections. If the eruption be inflamed and acute, use long cord with N. P.; if sluggish and chronic, use long cord with P. P. Move the two electrodes parallel to each other, upon the patient, about two or three inches apart; and pass them over all the affected surface. Repeat the treatment daily in acute affections, and three times a week in chronic cases.

COMMON CRAMP.

Although either the positive or the negative pole, applied to the healthy muscle, may produce spasmodic contraction, yet the negative pole contracts much more powerfully than the positive--a fact which shows an electrically plus condition in the nerves and muscles involved. Yet we know that cramps are more apt to attend a low condition of general vitality in the system than the opposite. From several considerations, which can not be detailed here, I am led to think that cramps are produced, generally, at least, by a temporary or spasmodic reaction of the electro-vital force from an improperly negative to an excessively positive state in the parts affected.

My practice is, when the spasm is on, to treat the parts in cramp by momentary touches rapidly repeated, with the P. P. of the B D or A D current, good medium force, placing N. P. at the back of neck, if the disturbance be in an arm; or at the coccyx, if it be in a leg or in the abdomen or chest.

In treating parts subject to cramp while the spasm is not on, give them, along with other parts of the system, general tonic treatment, as directed on page 95. This elevates and equalizes the electro-vital action, and relieves the difficulty.

TRISMUS. (Lockjaw.)

For traumatic trismus, use the B D current, of vigorous force. Let the wound be kept open and clear, except that soothing emollients may be applied. Place N. P. at the coccyx, or near it on the spine; and then treat, by firm but momentary touches of the P. P., over the lower maxillary--pterygoid--muscles and nerves; indeed, over the entire lower jaw and its articulations. Treat five to ten minutes, if necessary, or until the jaws relax.

TETANUS.

This is substantially the same thing as trismus, except that it extends to other parts, and often to nearly all the muscles of the organism. Under ordinary treatment, it is almost invariably fatal. I am not aware that it has been sufficiently submitted to our electrical system to determine satisfactorily the question of its amenability to it. Yet I see no reason to doubt that, in the most of cases, when taken within reasonable time, it may be cured.

Use the B D current, in pretty strong force. Place the N. P., long cord, at the feet, and treat with P. P. from the medulla oblongata, or from the upper cervical vertebra, all along down the spine, for several minutes--say, three to five minutes. Then pass with P. P. over the whole trunk and limbs. Continue to treat until relaxation takes place, or all hope of relief departs.

CANCERS.

Cancers take on a variety of forms, distinguished by different names; but since they all require substantially the same electrical treatment, it is unnecessary here to describe them.

Begin with the A B current in pretty full volume. [The volume of the current is increased by increasing the quantity of battery fluid.] Use this for several weeks, and then change to the A D current. Treat daily. The time for each treatment must be determined by the judgment of the practitioner; varying it according to the peculiar character and location of the disease.

If the cancer be on the face, or on any part of the head or breast, place P. P. on back of neck; but if it be in the stomach, uterus, or any of the abdominal viscera, place P. P. on spine, a little higher than the affected part. Then treat the disease with N. P., long cord, so as to run the current immediately out from the lesion, and yet bring the latter on the negative side of the central point in the circuit; that is, within the negative half of the whole circuit.

ASPHYXIA. (Suspended Animation.)

Use B D current, pretty strong force. Place P. P. at back of neck--second or third cervical vertebra, and treat with N. P., over all the chest and along the lower margin of the ribs, so as to excite the pectoral muscles, lungs and diaphragm.

RECENT WOUNDS, CONTUSIONS AND BURNS.

Use the B D current, strong force as can be borne. Bring the lesion under P. P., and place N. P. at discretion, in view of the location of the injury. Treat five to eight minutes, twice or thrice on the same day. Unless the injury is very severe, no further treatment will be required. Healing will take place with little or no soreness or swelling. In severe cases, repeat the treatment whenever inflammation gets too high. If fungus--"proud flesh"--should appear, treat that with a small-pointed electrode, N. P., placing P. P. on a healthy part, not remote, using A C current, in pretty strong force.

OLD ULCERS.