PART THE THIRD.ON THE POWER OF GALVANISM AS APPLIED TO MEDICINE.Ifthe doctrine of Galvanism have thrown considerable light on various parts of philosophy and chemistry, it gives us reason to hope that it may also be of benefit to medicine. The labours indeed of Galvani, whose most ardent desire was that his discovery might be rendered useful to mankind, were at length directed to this object, and his wishes now begin to be realized; but I must request the reader not to be too sanguine in his expectations, or to imagine that I here mean to entertain him with a long series of wonderful or extraordinary cures performed by means of Galvanism. I have no intention to decorate the discovery of my late uncle with false glory. Though I possess neither the same depth of knowledge, nor the same superiority of talents, I have always endeavoured to imitate his moderation and prudence in the application of his theory. I am fully convinced that much still remains to be done, in order to discover the best methods of employing this new agent; and that the facts respectingit, though numerous, have not been reduced to principles sufficiently certain and satisfactory. There are, nevertheless, some results and observations exceedingly curious, which, if confirmed by new experiments and researches, may enable us to obtain convincing proofs of its utility. New facts, however surprising, are not to be despised merely on account of their being different from any before observed. Those who reject them, as some have done, ought first to show that they are inconsistent with the principles of sound philosophy. Guided by these reflections, and desirous of contributing, as far as possible, towards the illustration of a new and very obscure subject, I shall lay before the reader the result of my researches in the following articles.
Ifthe doctrine of Galvanism have thrown considerable light on various parts of philosophy and chemistry, it gives us reason to hope that it may also be of benefit to medicine. The labours indeed of Galvani, whose most ardent desire was that his discovery might be rendered useful to mankind, were at length directed to this object, and his wishes now begin to be realized; but I must request the reader not to be too sanguine in his expectations, or to imagine that I here mean to entertain him with a long series of wonderful or extraordinary cures performed by means of Galvanism. I have no intention to decorate the discovery of my late uncle with false glory. Though I possess neither the same depth of knowledge, nor the same superiority of talents, I have always endeavoured to imitate his moderation and prudence in the application of his theory. I am fully convinced that much still remains to be done, in order to discover the best methods of employing this new agent; and that the facts respectingit, though numerous, have not been reduced to principles sufficiently certain and satisfactory. There are, nevertheless, some results and observations exceedingly curious, which, if confirmed by new experiments and researches, may enable us to obtain convincing proofs of its utility. New facts, however surprising, are not to be despised merely on account of their being different from any before observed. Those who reject them, as some have done, ought first to show that they are inconsistent with the principles of sound philosophy. Guided by these reflections, and desirous of contributing, as far as possible, towards the illustration of a new and very obscure subject, I shall lay before the reader the result of my researches in the following articles.