Part 7

In most of the local diseases here named, particularly those which are electrically negative, it is desirable to supplement the local treatment prescribed with occasional general tonic treatment, where, in the judgment of the practitioner, it can be given without detriment to the local affection.

In all treatments, the electrodes should be moistened with warm water.

GENERAL TONIC TREATMENT.

Take the B D current, (A D is very good), of fair medium strength. Place the sponge-roll, N. P. [Negative Pole], at the coccyx--lowest point of spine--and manipulate with side-sponge cup, P. P. [Positive Pole], from the feet all over the lower limbs to and about the hips; occupying three or four minutes, or less. Then remove the N. P., substituting for the sponge-roll the end-sponge cup, and place this upon the spine at the lower part of the neck. Now manipulate with side-sponge cup, P. P., over the trunk generally, from the lower to the upper parts; giving special attention to the spinal column by treating it somewhat more than other parts. Treat the trunk some five to eight minutes. Next, keeping the N. P. still upon the back of the neck, treat with P. P. over the hands and arms, up to and about the shoulders. Treat here two or three minutes.

It has been customary, for the most part, in giving general tonic treatment, to make the P. P. stationary--placing it successively at the feet, the coccyx and the hands--and to manipulate above it with the N. P. But the better way is as directed above. The object is to reinforce the main nerve-lines and centers with electricity from without. The nerves branch off from their centers--the brain, the spinal cord, the ganglions, and the great plexuses--and run, in general, downward and outward from the trunk lines, in a manner somewhat analogous to the branches and twigs of an inverted little tree. If we place before us such a shrub, with the root upward and the branches pointing downwards, and then draw lines from the lowest point of the lowest twig to the outer ends of all the branches surrounding the main trunk, we shall see that our lines, instead of running in the general directions of the limbs, will, for the most part, run across the twigs. But, if we draw our lines from the outer extremities of the branches and twigs up to the root, or near to the source of the trunk, we will find the lines, in the main, running nearly parallel with the branches. Now, let us substitute for this inverted tree the nervous system of a man, and remember that the electric current moves from the positive to the negative pole as nearly in straight lines as it can where there are good conductors, such as the nerves and muscles, and it will at once appear that, in treating the lower limbs, if we place our N. P. at the coccyx, and then manipulate with P. P. over the feet and legs, our electric lines are running from all the surface extremities of the nerve ramifications, wherever the P. P. is moving, directly into and along these fine ramifications, and, through the larger nerve-branches, up to the stationary N. P. Or, if we treat the trunk of the body by placing the N. P. on the spine, near its upper end, and then manipulate with P. P. from the lower part upward over the back, sides, abdomen and chest, our current strikes into the surface extremities of the nerves at every point where the electrode touches, and makes its way upwards, along the nerve-lines, to the great spinal cord under the N. P.--thus replenishing with fresh electricity all the ganglions, plexuses and nerve-trunks along the way. But if P. P. be made stationary at the lower end of the section under treatment, and we manipulate over the parts with the N. P., the current strikes from P. P., across the nerve branches and comes out at their surface extremities wherever the negative electrode moves--so reaching but indirectly and imperfectly the trunk-lines and their centers.

COMMON COLDS.

Take the B D Faradaic current--moderate strength. If the affection be mainly in the head, give,

1st. A face bath. Let an earthen wash-basin, nearly filled with tepid water, be placed on a table or chair before the patient, he holding the sponge-roll [see page 89] N. P. in his hands. Now let him bury his face in the water as long as he can hold his breath. At the instant after his face is in the water, drop into the water the tin electrode P. P. Repeat this process as often as he recovers his breath, some eight, ten or a dozen times.

2d. Place the sponge-roll N. P. in the hands as before, and, making an electrode P. P. of your own hand, in the manner directed for diagnosis, clasp the nose of the patient between your thumb and finger, moving them up and down along the sides of the nose, and on the nose between the eyes, about five minutes.

Repeat the above forms twice or thrice a day.

If there be hoarseness, or cough, or stricture of lungs, or soreness of chest, place N. P., with long cord, upon back of neck, and treat with P. P. over the front part of neck and breast, and wherever upon the thorax stricture or soreness appears.

If there be a feverish condition of the system, attended, perhaps, with pain in the head, place P. P. on the spine, a little below the cranium, and treat with N. P., long cord, all the way down the spine, and over the entire back, sides, thorax and abdomen. In this case let the current be rather mild, and be continued for a considerable length of time, with the view of bringing out perspiration. It is best that the patient should receive treatment in bed, perfectly protected from any cool air that might restrain or check perspiration. In these cases, I not unfrequently treat with a light B D current a full hour, unless perspiration start freely in shorter time, working over the trunk and limbs generally. But, while treating over the lower limbs, the P. P. should be upon the hypogastric flexus, at the "small of the back." Treat once or twice a day until relief appears.

After the stricture and soreness of the lungs are removed, and the general febrile action is suppressed, it is desirable to give a general tonic treatment.

CEPHALAGIA. (Headache.)

1. "Nervous headache." Take the B D current--moderate force. Place P. P. on back of neck, just below the brain, and manipulate with side-sponge cup, N. P., all the way down the spine and over the back.

It may often be necessary to apply the P. P. directly to the suffering part of the head. In that case, take the soft Faradaic current B C. If the fluid in the battery cell be fresh, use very little--just enough to reach well the platina plate and make the machine run. Wet the hair thoroughly through to the scalp, where the electrode is to be applied. Seat the patient on N. P., or let him hold it in both his hands, (the former is the better way), and treat lightly over the affected parts of the head with P. P. Treat five to ten minutes, as may be required, and if the pain returns, repeat the treatment. Only a very light current can be safely applied directly to the brain, and that an induced Faradaic current.

2. Sick Headache. The procuring cause of this distressing disease is involved in considerable mystery. It seems, however, to be largely dependent on the secretion and discharge into the duodenum of an improper quantity of bile, and an irregularity in the peristaltic action of the upper part of the bowels, particularly of the duodenum, in which that action more or less is reversed, and thereby throws the biliary fluid up, through the pylorus, into the stomach. After a time, the stomach becomes nauseated by its accumulation; and the head, through nervous sympathy, is rendered electrically positive in excess, and thus is made to ache. Yet there are certain characteristics of the disease which this view does not satisfactorily explain, and which must remain unexplained until advancing science shall reveal to us more perfect light.

When this disease has become habitual and periodic, it is very obstinate, and requires persistent treatment--often for several months.

Take the B D current, with moderate force. Place the N. P. on the spine, immediately above the kidneys, and treat with P. P. over the stomach and the duodenum, (lying transversely just below the stomach), three to five minutes. Treat in this manner about twice a week.

It may sometimes be necessary to treat the head directly. If so, after the treatment above prescribed, add that prescribed for the head directly, in nervous headache, with this difference, viz: instead of seating the patient on the N. P., or placing the same in his hands, pass it over the stomach and duodenum, unless the former may be already too positive. In that case, let the N. P. be at the seat.

DEAFNESS.

The prognosis is very uncertain. This infirmity is often cured by our system, even when of long standing; and often, again, the treatment fails. The uncertainty arises from the difficulty in determining the exact pathological derangement.

Take the A D current, mild force. Introduce the ear electrode as the N. P. when the disease is of long standing, or as the P. P. when it is of recent origin. Apply the opposite pole to the back of the neck. Treat five to eight minutes, once a day for three or four days, and afterwards three times a week. If no success appears within three weeks, it will probably be vain to expect it afterwards.

NOISES IN THE HEAD.

Treat the same as for deafness.

INFLAMED EYES.

If the disease be recent and acute, (but not infectious), as from sewing or reading by lamp light or other irritation, take the C D current, of moderate force. Treat with the eye-bath, filled with tepid water, having the eye open in the water. Make the bath the P. P., and place the N. P. on the spine at the upper dorsal vertebra. Treat each eye three minutes daily.

If the disease be acute and infectious, use the A C current some four to six times, and then change to A D. Apply the current as directed above.