This affection requires treatment variously, as it depends on one or another procuring cause.
If it be the result of recent "cold," inducing acute catarrhal irritation in the larynx, treatfirstas forcommon cold, andclosethe sitting as follows: Place N. P.,long cord, of A D current, in good medium force, upon back of neck or in the mouth, and treat three to five minutes, twice a day, with P. P., over thefront parts of the air pipe in the neck; mostly over thelarynx—Adam's apple.
If it be from paralysis of the larynx, treat with B D current, rather strong force; placing P. P.,long cord, on back of neck or in the mouth, and work with N. P. over thelarynx, and somewhat over the air tube of the neck generally. Treat three to five minutes, daily.
If, as is sometimes the case, the difficulty proceeds from a relaxation of the diaphragm, with general sagging down of the thoracic and abdominal viscera, so as to draw upon the trachea, then treat the whole trunk tonically, using the B D current. Place the N. P. low on back of neck, and treat with P. P. over the abdomen and thorax, and especially all around the edge of the diaphragm—along the lower line of the false ribs. Treat with medium strength of current, ten minutes, three times a week. The aim is to contract all the relaxed parts, so to relieve the larynx from the strain upon it.
Treat croup, whether membranous or spasmodic, much the same as is prescribed fordiphtheria, only, in the latter part of the form, treat less.
Use the A D current, medium force. Treat with P. P. over the shoulders and between the scapulæ, and with N. P. in front upon the lungs, heart and diaphragm. Treat five to ten minutes, daily, for three or four days; after that, three times a week.
Take A D current, pretty strong force. Treat in front, over the lungs, with P. P., moving N. P.,long cord, on spine from neck to near the kidneys; that is, over all the dorsal vertebræ. If the current be severely painful, moderate it to endurance. Treat six to ten minutes twice a day.
Take B D current, forceful as the patient can bear, and treat briefly—say five to seven minutes, several times a day, until relief is experienced.
Place N. P.,long cord, low on back of neck, and move P. P. over all the upper part of thelungs. Then remove N. P. to the lower dorsal vertebræ, just above the kidneys, and treat with P. P. over the lower part of the lungs. If typhoid symptoms attend, follow the above with placing P. P., medium force, on back of neck, close below the cranium, and N. P. at coccyx, two or three minutes.
After tubercles have been formedextensivelyin the lungs, and havesoftened downover considerable area, carrying down the pulmonary tissue with them into a state of pus, there is commonly but little hope of successful treatment. But where they are restricted to comparatively small extent, and no ulceration exists, they may be decomposed and absorbed away, or be thrown off in expectoration, and the affected parts be healed.
If the case be arecentone, and acute fever, combined, perhaps, with more or less inflammation, appear in the lungs, use the A C current, in moderate force, yet all the patient can bear without special distress. Place N. P.,long cord, upon the upper dorsal vertebræ for treating the upper part of the lungs, or upon the lower dorsal vertebræ for treating theirlower part. Then pass P. P. over all the affected parts. Treat in this manner five to eight minutes, daily, until theinflammationis suppressed, which will be indicated by an abatement of the extreme sensitiveness and lancinating pain under the electrode. Then, iffeverishaction continue high, remove the N. P. to the coccyx, or to the lower part of the sacrum, taking the B D current,mildforce, with cords ofequal length, and treat, as before, with P. P. over the affected parts, and also over the thorax generally, and along down the spine to the lower dorsal vertebræ. Continue this treatment ten to fifteen minutes, daily, until the fever is removed, or nearly so. For this part of the treatment, it is best to use the hand as the P. electrode, and to diffuse the current over the whole palm of the hand wherever special soreness appears. It is better, also, that the patient receive the treatment in bed, secure from any chilliness or current of air, so as to facilitate perspiration.
If the case be one of long standing, and more or less ofpus, orpusandtubercles, be raised in coughing, take the A D current, with equal cords andverymild force. Reduce the quantity of battery fluid if necessary.Now place P. P. at the coccyx and treat with N. P., (the hand is here much the best), over all the diseased parts. Change occasionally by removing P. P. to back of neck withlong cord. The object is to bring the diseased parts under a very light force of the A D current, such as is especially healing in old ulcers and chronic irritation. But if this action should at any timeincreasefever or inflammation in the lungs, the poles must be reversed for one or two treatments. In this stage of the disease, treat ten to twelve or fifteen minutes, daily, for three or four days, and after that, three times a week.
Ifneuralgia, use B D current; ifrheumatism, use A D. In either case, treat the heart with P. P., moderate force, placing N. P. at lower dorsal or upper lumbar vertebræ. Treat five to eight minutes, daily, until relief is gained.
Rheumatismof the heart may be distinguished fromneuralgiaby its occasioning irregularity in the cardiac contractions, commonly a sense of soreness and pain under pressure by the hand, and often perceptible enlargement ofthe organ, which neuralgia does not, and also by its pains being more constant—less fitful—than those of neuralgia.
Treat these two affections in the same way. Take the A D current, moderate force. Place N. P. at the coccyx, or alternately there and, withlong cord, on the spine opposite to the heart. Manipulate with P. P. over the heart. Treat five to eight minutes, three times a week.
This is commonly a symptomatic or sympathetic affection—rarelyidiopathic—and disappears on cure of the disease from which it proceeds. It usually denotes nervous weakness, and often general debility.General tonic treatmentis indicated, as far as can be given without interfering with the proper treatment of any local affections on which the palpitation depends.
Take A D or B D current, full medium force. Treat with N. P. over the liver, at the right side, immediately below the short ribs,and thence backward and a little upward, as far as to the spine, holding P. P. on the left side, close under the ribs, for about four to six minutes. Then remove P. P. to the spine, on back of neck, two or three minutes. Next, go with the P. P. to coccyx two or three minutes; continuing, as at first, to manipulate with N. P. over the liver. Let the whole treatment occupy some eight to twelve minutes. Repeat the sittings about three times a week.
Use the B D current, with what force the patient can bear. Place N. P. at the coccyx, and also somewhat on the trunk, opposite to the inflammation. Then manipulate with P. P. over the inflamed and sore part. Treat five to eight minutes, once or twice a day.
Take A D current, with medium force. Place N. P., some three to five minutes, on left side, over the spleen; and then as much longer at the coccyx. Manipulate with P. P. over the liver. Treat about three times a week. If the enlargement be recent, it will subside; if oflong standing, its restoration will be slow, and somewhat uncertain.
Take A C current, strong as can be borne; and treat the inflamed and painful part with P. P., while N. P. is upon the right end of the duodenum. Treat eight to ten minutes, daily.
Use the A D current. First, givegeneral tonic treatment. (See page95.) Then close the sitting with astrongcurrent, running from spleen to liver—P. P. upon spleen, in the left side, just below the ribs, and N. P. upon liver—best reached in the right side, close under the ribs, and around backward and a little upward as far as to the spine. The spleen is morbidly positive, and probably enlarged, while the liver is too negative. Treat spleen and liver in this transverse manner about five minutes.
If the chills occur on alternate days, treat on the intervening days; if every day, treat about two hours before the chill is expected.
1.Acute.If the urinary secretion bereddishandscant, with or without sedimentary deposit, let the inflammation be regarded asacute; and use upon it the B D current of good medium strength, or a little more, if the patient can bear it. The pain from the current will probably subside somewhat, and perhaps altogether, under treatment. Place N. P. at the coccyx, and manipulate over the inflamed and sore parts with P. P. Treat five to eight minutes, twice a day, if the case be recent, or once a day, if it be of some weeks standing.
2.Chronic.If it be an old case, and attended with a brownish or a brickdust-like sediment in the urine, it may be consideredchronic, and should be treated with a moderate A D current, once in two days. Place P. P. at the coccyx, and treat with N. P. over the affected kidneys. There may be no sense of soreness or swelling, butdullpain. Treat six to ten minutes. But if the inflammation should rise to an active or acute state,reverse the poles.
Take the A C current, of considerable force. Place N. P. low upon the bladder, and treat with P. P. upon the inflamed and painful point five to eight minutes, once or twice a day. If treating twice a day, continue not more than five minutes at a time.
This disease occurs in two forms—diabetes insipidusanddiabetes mellitus. In the first named form, the disease is readily cured. In the latter, it is very formidable, and is rarely, if ever, cured by medicines; especially when of long standing. In this latter variety of the disease, the urea is absent from the urine, and in its place is found more or less of sugar—often large quantities: Dunglison says 2½ oz. in a pint.
The electrical state of the disease, in both of these forms, is negative in excess.
1.D. insipidus.Use the B D current, of moderate force. Place P. P. at the coccyx or on the upper dorsal vertebra, or on both in alternation, which is better, and treat over thekidneys with N. P. five to eight minutes, once a day for three or four days. If this should fail to cure, (as it seldom will), go on with the same treatment three times a week.
2.D. mellitus.Take the A D current, ofmildforce. Place P. P. as ind. insipidus, and treat the kidneys with N. P. about five to eight minutes, three times a week; supplementing this withgeneral tonic treatment, once or twice a week.
Be patient and persevering.In bad cases, months will be required to effect a cure; but persistent effort, as above prescribed, will rarely if ever fail, unless the vital force is nearly expended.
This is one of the most difficult of diseases to control by any of the ordinary modes of medical practice; and yet, under judicious electrical treatment, it is one of the surest to yield. The disease assumes various phases in different persons, and at different times in the same person, requiring varied treatment.
The pain, after eating, is severe; exhalations of air, apparently from the inner surfaces of the stomach and bowels, or of gas from theirdecomposing contents, are large—often enormous. The stomach is much of the time acid, and, in some cases, sensibly cold, ejecting often a cold mucus. The bowels are habitually constipated. The patient is nervous, irritable, and subject to great depression of spirits. In this stage or phase of the disease, there is a negative condition of the digestive apparatus generally. Treat with the A D current, in mild force, and expect the case to require considerable time. But, since there is no approach to uniformity among patients, no approximation to definite time can be stated. Givegeneral tonic treatment, (page95), three times a week, and close each sitting with local treatment, having P. P. at the coccyx, and manipulating some five minutes with N. P. over the entire front parts of the abdomen and thorax, and over the liver.
It is sometimes found, in old cases, that there is no sensible acidity of stomach; but apyrosis—a burning sensation in the stomach, or a little above, in what is usually termed "the pit of the stomach." Treat this about three minutes with the P. P., strong force; moving N. P.,long cord, over the lower dorsal vertebræ.
Take B D current. Place N. P.,long cord, upon the lumbar vertebræ and sacrum, moving it often along the spine, from a position opposite to the umbilicus down to the coccyx; and treat with P. P. over the abdomen, and more especially wherever pain or sensations of uneasiness appear. In severe cases, treat several times in a day—once in two to three hours, if need require, three to five minutes at a time. Use current of full medium strength, if the patient can bear it.
Take A D current, ofvery mildforce. Place P. P. at the feet, and treat with N. P. over the lower limbsbriefly; then over the bowels and stomach, both front and rear, some three to five minutes; then pass up with N. P. over the anterior parts of the chest, two or three minutes; and, next, place N. P. low on the back of neck, with P. P. still at feet, two or three minutes. Treat in this manner once daily.
If at any time the bowels should become unusually flatulent, and evacuations should increasein frequency, change the treatment. Place N. P. at back of neck, as before, and treat about five minutes with P. P. (force increased tomoderatecurrent) over the abdomen, daily, from one to three days, as may be necessary. After this, resume treatment as first above prescribed.
Use A D current, pretty strong force. In severe cases, introduce the rectum instrument N. P.,long cord, or in mild cases, place sponge-roll N. P.,long cord, at coccyx, and treat with P. P. over all the abdomen, three to five minutes. It may be repeated, if necessary, in thirty minutes.
Keep the patient still as possible on his back. Use A D current, strong force. Place N. P.,long cord, at coccyx, and treat with P. P. over abdomen, five to ten minutes, and repeat, if necessary, in thirty to sixty minutes. If there be cramps, touch the contracted muscles with the P. P., for a few moments, without disturbing N. P.
As in cholera morbus, keep the patient on his back, still as can be. Use A D current,full medium strength.
In the early stage, or during the "rice-water" discharges, and down to the time of collapse, treat the abdomen and thorax with P. P., having N. P.,long cord, on back of neck—not too near the head. After treating so a few moments—say four to six minutes—remove P. P. to the back, and pass it along close upon each side of the spinous processes from the lower lumbar up to about the middle of the dorsal vertebræ. Continue this about three or four minutes.
Ifcrampingaccompany the vomiting and purging, carry the P. P. a part of the time to the muscles in spasm, leaving N. P. still at the back of neck, withlong cord.
Repeat the above processes as often as once an hour until symptoms improve. Then reduce their frequency as the case will admit of.
In the state of collapse, place P. P.,long cord, at the coccyx, and manipulate with N. P. over the entire trunk and arms; bestowing a larger share of treatment along up the spinethan elsewhere. Then remove P. P.,long cord, to feet, and work with N. P. all over the lower limbs and hips. Treat in this stage of the disease some six or eight minutes at a time, and repeat it as the case seems to demand—once in thirty minutes to once in two, four or six hours, until improvement or death shall ensue. (See page81.)
Treat exactly as inacute diarrhœa, except that P. P. should be moved more over thecolonandrectumthan in diarrhœa.
This disease may proceed from either anegativecondition—a state ofatonyfrom lack of nutrition, or apartial paralysisof the bowels—or from apositivecondition—a state ofrelaxationand 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. overliver, 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 vertebræ, 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 bechronic, treat daily for three or four days, and, after that, three times a week. It is well also to givegeneral tonic treatmentas often as once a week. The patient should be urged to retire andinvitean evacuation regularly, about the same hour daily, whether success attend it or not.
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 vertebræ. Where there isprolapsus ani, the sponge-roll, placed at the anus, may be used instead of the rectum instrument, particularly for the first few treatments.
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 untilthisdifficulty 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 thelong cordwith N. P.
If the shoulders, arms or hands be affected, treat them on the same principles as are prescribed for thelowerlimbs; using thelong cordwith 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 notinvolved, it is often necessary, after three or four treatments as above described, toreverse the polesfor a few moments, giving an ascending current; but still using thelong cordwith 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 somewhatlower downthan 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.
Use the A D currentalwaysin 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 withreversed poles. The parts affected require to come under the N. P. rather than the P. P., and to be treated with considerable force. There areapparentlyexceptional cases, referred to on page83, 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.
Use the A D current, moderate force. Givegeneral 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, uselong cordwith 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.
If the disease be general in the system, moving from place to place, or causing transientacute 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.Reliefwill be afforded soon; but for the sake ofcure, the treatment of an old case should be continued as here directed. If the disease belocal, 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.
This is neuralgia in an ischiatic nerve, commonly thegreatischiatic.
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, toreverse the polesevery third or fourth time; but in so doing, use thelong cordwith N. P.
Take the B D current, medium force. If the paralysis be in a lower limb, place P. P.,long cord, upon the lower lumbar vertebræ, 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 withreversed 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 vertebræ, with N. P. This is to prevent depletion byrunning offthe 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 ofhemiplegiaorparaplegia, run thecurrent from the healthysideof the spine, (in hemiplegia,) or from a healthypartof 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.Oldparalysis requires considerabletimeto cure it. Treat about three times a week, occasionally omitting a week.
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, placethe 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—phlyctæna—appear, and the inflammation terminates in gangrene; or when there is such an infiltration of serum as to produce an œdematous 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.
Take A D current, prettyvigorousforce inacutecases;mildinchronicaffections. If the eruption be inflamed and acute, uselong cordwith N. P.; if sluggish and chronic, uselong cordwith P. P. Move the two electrodes parallelto 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.
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 electricallypluscondition in the nerves and muscles involved. Yet we know that cramps are more apt to attend alowcondition 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 spasmodicreactionof 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 anarm; 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 isnoton, give them, along with other parts of the system,general tonic treatment, as directed on page95. This elevates and equalizes the electro-vital action, and relieves the difficulty.
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 theentirelower jaw and its articulations. Treat five to ten minutes, if necessary, or until the jaws relax.
This is substantially the same thing astrismus, except that it extends to other parts, and often to nearly all the muscles of the organism. Under ordinary treatment, it is almost invariablyfatal. I am not aware that it has been sufficiently submitted toourelectrical 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 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. [Thevolumeof the current is increased by increasing the quantity of battery fluid.] Use this for several weeks, and thenchange 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 immediatelyoutfrom the lesion, and yet bring the latter on thenegativeside[E]of the central point in the circuit; that is, within the negative half of the whole circuit.
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.
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. Iffungus—"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.
Take the A D current. Iftorpid, treat with mild force. Treat the sore with N. P., while P. P. is held upon some healthy part, and usually at a higher point. Treat five to ten minutes, three or four times a week. Ifhigh inflammationbe present, this must first be reduced by applying P. P., in pretty strong force, with N. P., on a healthy part not far away. For this purpose, treat some five toeight minutes daily. Then, when the inflammation is sufficiently subdued, treat as whentorpid, with mild force and less frequently. It is best, when it can be done, to place the affected part in warm water along with N. P.; bringing the ulcer immediately above the surface of the water.
Take B D current, strong force. Apply P. P. to the open blood-vessel, or as near to it as possible; placing N. P.,long cord, to some adjacent part, and, as nearly as practicable, in the direction from which the blood chiefly comes.
This is a disease mostly or entirely peculiar to young women who have not menstruated, and disappears on the establishment of the monthly periods.
Take the A D current. If any symptoms exist of an effort of nature to bring on the menses, note thetimeof them, and regard it, in the treatment, as the proper monthly period. If no symptoms of such a period are perceptible, the practitioner mustfixupon a time for it, and regard it accordingly. About four tosix days before the periodic time, commence to treat as follows, using amoderate force: Insert the uterine electrode, N. P., wet in warm water, per vagina, until it meets the uterus; and manipulate with P. P. over the dorsal and first two lumbar vertebræ, and more or less over the back on both sides of the spinal column, some six or eight minutes daily, down to the period fixed upon for the catamenia to appear. If they do not start, let the patient rest for some four or five days, and then begin withgeneral tonic treatment. (See page95.) Continue this, three times a week, until within a little less than a week of theperiodictime, when the same treatment with the uterine electrode as was at first employed should be resumed, and again be continued to the time assigned for the menses. If no success should appear, return, after a few days, togeneral tonic treatmentas before. Let these forms of treatment be prosecuted until success crowns the effort. Ordinarily, not many months—perhaps not more than one or two months—will be required; especially, if the treatment be aided, on the part of the patient, by a good degree of moderate exercise in the open air, and a free, nourishing diet.
Treat as forchlorosis. But if the case be recent—the effect of taking cold—begin, in the first few sittings, to treat eight or ten minutes as for common cold; then conclude the sitting by treating, about as many minutes, in the same manner as prescribed for chlorosis.
If the disease be occasioned by uterine displacement, obstructing theos uteri, the organ must be restored to its normal position. This can best be done by mechanical action. But it is most commonly occasioned by irritation of the mucus membrane lining the interior cavity of the uterus. Mucus surfaces, underchronicirritation, are electrically negative. Therefore, in this case, if it be anoldone, taking the A D current,very mild force, apply the uterine electrode, N. P., to theos uteri, and treat over the lower dorsal and upper lumbar vertebræ with P. P.,long cord. Treat five to eight minutes, three times a week.
But I should add, that recovery from this infirmity, when occasioned by uterine irritation, will be much aided by commencing eachsitting with ageneral tonic treatment(see page95), and closing with the treatment just above prescribed.
The last described form of dysmenorrhœa is sometimes attended with spasmodic contraction of theos uteri, thus preventing the catamenial flow. This may be readily relieved by applying P. P. to uterus, and N. P. to lower dorsal and upper lumbar vertebræ.
If the menstrual flow is apt to terminate in hemorrhage, it is best to givegeneral tonic treatments, about three times a week, between the periods; and during the last four or five days before color is expected to appear, to take the B D current, medium force, and treat the uterus directly, once a day, with the uterine electrode P. P., while moving N. P. over the dorsal vertebræ, about five to eight minutes, at the close ofgeneral tonic treatment.
If there be nohemorrhage, properly, but only too profuse or too long-continued flow of catamenia, the discharge may commonly be stopped by one or two treatments, of eight to ten minutes each, with the uterine electrode, as prescribed above.
Take the B D current, of good medium force, and givegeneral tonic treatment(see page95), on alternate days, ten minutes, passing briefly over the several parts. After this, treat five to eight minutes with uterine electrode, in the manner prescribed formenorrhagia. Then close the sitting by removing the uterine instrument, substituting the sponge-cup as P. P., and treating with it externally, about five minutes, over the pelvic region, while N. P. is stationed on the spine, at the first or second dorsal vertebra.
On theinterveningdays, treat only with the uterine electrode, as above prescribed.
Take A D current,very mildforce. Introduce the vaginal electrode, N. P., until it meets the uterus, and manipulate with P. P. over the dorsal vertebræ five to eight minutes, three times a week. Once or twice a week, on the intervening days, givegeneral tonic treatment. Omit treatment altogether, for one or two weeks, once in two to three months.Considerable time is often required for the cure of old cases.
The points to be gained are, to reduce the action of the amatorial organs of the brain and the secretion of thetestes, and to contract and strengthen the tissue of the seminal vesicles and the prostrate gland.
Take the B D current. First, treat the lowest part of the cerebellum, on both sides of the spinal cord, with amildforce; using P. P. upon these organs of amativeness, and N. P. on the dorsal vertebræ. Treat so some three minutes. Next, increase the current to medium force; and, taking a handled cup or mug, holding a pint to a quart, mostly filled with tepid water, drop thepenisandtesticlesinto it, along with the tin electrode P. P., and move N. P.,long cord, over the lumbar vertebræ. Treat in this manner about five minutes. Then place the P. P. on the pelvis, close above the penis, and again treat with N. P.,long cord, over the small of the back, two or three minutes. Treat about three times a week.
Take B D current, moderate force. Treat exactly as in spermatorrhœa, except withreversed poles, using thelong cordwith P. P. Treat thrice a week.