NEURALGIA.
If the disease be general in the system, moving from place to place, or causing transient acute 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. Relief will be afforded soon; but for the sake of cure, the treatment of an old case should be continued as here directed. If the disease be local, 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.
SCIATICA.
This is neuralgia in an ischiatic nerve, commonly the great ischiatic.
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, to reverse the poles every third or fourth time; but in so doing, use the long cord with N. P.
PARALYSIS.
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 with reversed 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 by running off the 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 of hemiplegia or paraplegia, run the current from the healthy side of the spine, (in hemiplegia,) or from a healthy part of 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. Old paralysis requires considerable time to cure it. Treat about three times a week, occasionally omitting a week.
ERYSIPELAS.
Take the A. D. current, medium force, in all forms of the diseases.