primary coil, and with about two intermissions in each second. Never make the application without using the pedal rheotome, and increase the power gradually until a distinct sensation a little short of pain is felt either in the meatus itself or in the tongue. Be careful that the conducting wire of the rheophore does not project beyond its insulating cylinder and touch the mucous membrane of the meatus, or acute pain will be caused. Faradize on alternate days for about five minutes. Should the least giddiness occur, discontinue instantly and lower the strength of the current. In certain cases of congenital deaf-mutism, not depending upon any anatomical lesion, the trial of similar treatment is advisable. Hysterical deafness, even of many months duration, is usually quickly removed in from two to six applications.

In glosso-labio laryngeal paralysis faradization of the tongue and of the muscles of the pharynx will improve for a time the articulation of words and the deglutition. One pole is to be applied to the nape of the neck, and the other in succession to all parts of the tongue and lips that are wasted, and externally, with a powerful current, to affect the pharynx.

In locomotor ataxy faradization, while powerless to cure, is one of the best palliatives. By its application the diplopia, a common symptom in the first stage of the disease, is for the most part removed for a time, to the great comfort of the patient.

The distressing muscular pains will often diminish or even disappear under cutaneous faradization, as also the muscular and cutaneous anesthesia which greatly add to the troubles of co-ordination, and upon the diminution of which a marked improvement in locomotion generally results. At an early period of the disease the constant voltaic current to the spineboth poles stationary-may be tried.

The pains of muscular rheumatism are almost invariably removed or mitigated by cutaneous faradization, and so rapidly as in many cases to appear marvellous. In cases that had resisted all other treatment, an instantaneous cure has resulted, and sufferers whose pain has for a long time obliged them to keep the arm immovable have been able directly after the faradization to execute any movement with

ease.

With these rheumatic patients it is especially of importance that the current should be strictly limited to the skin, carefully dried and powdered, and should produce no muscular contraction, or the suffering will be aggravated instead of relieved. Begin with a current readily bearable on your own hand, and increase afterwards. The above remarks are applicable to all varieties of muscular rheumatism, but not to arthritic disease.

In all cases of chloroform narcosis faradization of the phrenic nerves, as detailed at page 76, is of the first importance, but if unsuccessful, recourse should, without loss of time, be had to cutaneous faradization

of the precordial region. The instrument being at its full power and with rapid intermissions, the wire brush is to be brushed over the left .nipple, and a disk conductor connected with the other pole moved about over the apex of the heart. Duchenne speaks highly of this precordial cutaneous excitation (which he believes to react upon those points of the nervous centres which govern the innervation of the breathing and of the heart's action), in disorders of the cardiac circulation symptomatic of a paralytic condition of the vagus, causing syncope, which is sometimes fatal. He quotes an interesting case of diphtheritic poisoning of the vagus; and consequent extreme rapidity, smallness, and irregularity of the pulse, with syncope. Diffusible stimulants failed to give relief. The symptoms were removed as if from enchantment by cutaneous faradization, and if the conductors were moved to other parts of the chest, the patient experienced no benefit, and quickly pointed to the region to which the electricity should be applied. There are also other functional disorders of innervation which are much ameliorated by similar treatment-particularly a kind of apnoea, a neurosis characterized by absence of the besoin de respirer, and which for a certain time renders the respiratory movements infrequent and even suspends them.

Duchenne quotes other cases of successful treatment of diphtheritic paralysis by faradization. In one the patient appeared to have contracted mem

branous angina by kissing the mouth of one of his children who died from the disease. After having passed through the period of the formation of false membranes, which put his life in danger by obstructing the bronchi, and when making progress towards convalescence, he was attacked by paralytic symptoms. There was paralysis of the soft palate and pharynx, diplopia, and slight hemiplegia of the fifth, seventh, hypoglossal, and inferior laryngeal nerves. Suddenly on the twenty-eighth day, the intrinsic expiratory muscles became paralyzed, and at the same time there was formed a considerable quantity of mucus, which obstructing the bronchi, and not being expelled, threatened to produce asphyxia. Electro-cutaneous excitation of the posterior region of the thorax rapidly re-established the respiratory power and procured the immediate expulsion of the bronchial mucus, but it required to be continued for several days in order completely to overcome the paralysis of the lung.

In another instance, a little girl four months old, who had suffered from diarrhoea for several days became the subject of a rather large ulceration in the neighborhood of the umbilicus. Some days later she was attacked by general paralysis, which continued for forty-eight hours, and was followed by complete aphonia, with extreme difficulty of respiration and deglutition. Every attempt at sucking brought on cough and choking, and there were also symptoms

of paralysis of the diaphragm. Faradization of the phrenic nerves was entirely successful in establishing normal respiration. After faradization of the soft palate, the pharynx, and the anterior surface of the neck at the laryngeal level, the infant sucked better and its voice improved. It was completely cured by a few applications.

Difficulty of micturition, may in many paraplegic cases be largely relieved by faradization. It is not always symptomatic of paralysis of the bladder, but may be the result of paralysis of the abdominal muscles, and be removed by their faradization. Failing this, the rectal rheophore should be introduced, as described at page 88, and a well wetted sponge connected with the second pole promenaded over the hypogastric or lumbosacral region; or the double vesical rheophore may be employed. The continuous voltaic current will often relieve vesical spasm, and has been successfully employed in painful spasmodic contraction of the bladder upon a calculus. Lesser degrees of spasm will often give way to cutaneous faradization of the perineum or hypogastric region. Anæsthesia of the bladder sometimes exists independently of any paralysis. The patient feels no desire to micturate, the bladder fills and if not emptied at regular intervals ends by becoming paralyzed from the constant distension. Internal faradization with the double vesical rheophore is superior to any other treatment.