The Electric Bath

by George M. Schweig

When Mr. S. came to consult me, he had but lately returned from Europe, whence, he stated, his physicians had sent him home to die. His complexion was sallow, sickly; skin of face plentifully wrinkled; features wearing the air of suffering and anxiety that so frequently accompanies painful chronic conditions. He had for some time past suffered from excessive cerebro-spinal irritability, for the relief of which cantharidal collodion had been employed in the cervico-spinal region (the same had also been used in the hepatic region, to meet the diagnostic views of some one of his medical attendants). He had a remittent chronic intestinal catarrh, with—noticeably during the periods of exacerbation—abundant discharge of a glairy mucus. The appetite was very capricious—not to say poor, and he was obliged to be exceedingly careful in his diet. He was not capable of any continued mental application. The muscular system was weak and flabby. All the vegetative functions were more or less impaired.

On June 3d, 1874, Mr. S., by my directions, took an electric bath. He continued the baths daily for some weeks; then every two or three days, all the time steadily improving. He had some adjuvant medicinal treatment, probably similar to what he had already had in Europe. He states, however, that his improvement commenced with the first bath he took; and the baths certainly constituted the main treatment throughout. He gained daily in every respect. Mind and body were invigorated; his muscles increased in size and hardness; color gradually returned to his cheeks, etc. He continued the baths with more or less regularity until the close of the year, taking in all sixty-one baths. He was then in a better condition than he had been for many years. Thinking a trip to Europe would benefit him, I advised him to go there and remain a few months. He left early in January and returned in the beginning of April, 1875. He had been very well during his absence, until within a few weeks prior to his departure from Europe, when he experienced a severe attack of cerebro-spinal congestion, which caused him much suffering. On his return he resumed the baths, and continued them throughout the spring, continually gaining in strength and weight. At the beginning of last summer he was practically well. He has regained his normal weight (120 pounds). As a criterion of his bodily vigor, I will simply state that I have seen him lift, with ease, 350 pounds, which, for a person of his weight, is not bad. His mental force is as good as it has ever been. The digestive disturbances have disappeared; he can eat things which for years he had been compelled to eschew. To use his own words: “I am well.” In view of the fact that he had already received, at the hands of competent men, all sorts of internal as well as external treatment, I believe I am justified in attributing his cure almost entirely if not solely to the baths.

Case XI. Mr. * * *, aet. about 50, lawyer, of large, vigorous frame, came to consult me January 4th, 1875. He complained of symptoms that are the frequent results of prolonged mental over-taxation. His intellect was as good as ever, but he lacked his wonted mental endurance and power of application. His mind was perfectly clear, but unable to work. It was a case of “limited cerebral exhaustion.” Physical nutrition was pretty good; yet his color was not normal, being rather paler than it had been and has since become again. His flesh was flabby. There were vague neurotic disturbances, etc., etc. He had until recently occupied a leading public position, and the onerous duties that devolved on him in connection with this, evidently stood in direct etiological relation to his trouble. I ordered an electric bath every other day. This was complied with until the end of February, when the patient had apparently entirely recovered his health, mentally as well as physically. I saw him not very long ago; he looked the picture of health, and told me that he was and had been since I saw him, perfectly well in every respect.

Case XII. Mr. L., aet. 23, presented himself for treatment in October, 1874. He had at various times made the attempt to study some profession, but had never been able to concentrate his mind sufficiently on any object to enable him to persevere in its pursuit. He was fretful, irritable and vacillating; would desire one thing to-day, another to-morrow; never long of the same mind. Melancholia, digestive disturbances and hypochondriacal phenomena accompanied this condition. No organic disease was discoverable. On October 1st he took his first bath. Very shortly after this he commenced the study of medicine. He improved rapidly in every respect. During the month of October he had six baths, which resulted in complete and permanent relief of all the symptoms. He progressed satisfactorily in his studies, and is at the present time taking his second course in one of our city medical colleges.

AGRYPNIA.
(INSOMNIA; SLEEPLESSNESS).

Although, as a rule, but the symptom of some definite pathological condition, agrypnia is of such frequent occurrence, and so detrimental to the general health, that it appears to me to merit special consideration. This holds good especially in this connection, because, even where electric baths fail to influence the disease giving rise to the insomnia, they almost invariably remove this, irrespective of its cause. Even where, the disease itself remaining uncured, the insomnia must return sooner or later, the sleep is very much improved while the baths are being had recourse to. We must of course endeavor in all cases to relieve the original disease, and, where the baths are not adapted to this purpose, resort to other and appropriate means. It will be found of no small service to us in the therapeutical management of every case, to be enabled to procure for the patient, without the aid of medicinal hypnotics, sufficient of sleep during treatment.

Case XIII. Mr. A., from the clientele of Dr. Leonard Weber, was sent by Dr. W. to take electric baths. He suffered from chronic spinal congestion. Among the most prominent and annoying symptoms was agrypnia. It was for the relief of this symptom chiefly that Dr. W. ordered him the baths. He began to improve in this respect from the time he took his first bath, and although the disease itself remained uncured, he enjoyed good sound sleep while he was under treatment, his general health improved, and he frequently spoke of the notable benefits that he received from the baths. He continued them until his departure for Europe, where, by direction of his physician, he went last spring. I have not seen him since, but Dr. W. tells me that he is doing well.

Case XIV. Mr. D. was brought on Sept. 30th, 1874, by his physician, Dr. Hogan. He was in the incipient stage of delirium tremens. Had not slept for some nights. Dr. H. had administered successively opiates, chloral and bromides in full doses, without effect. On the evening of above date the patient had a bath, in which the descending galvanic current was used. As a result, he slept well that night. The baths were repeated on the two succeeding days, with like effect. As the disease developed however it became necessary to send the patient to an asylum, whence he returned cured in a short time. The effect of the baths in this case, where full doses of the most powerful hypnotics of the materia medica had failed, was remarkably illustrative of their hypnotic power.

ANÆMIA.

As is well known to the profession, anæmia forms the basis of a great number of morbid conditions. Hysteria, general debility, emaciation, sterility, various nervous affections, phthisis, in short, a perversion of almost any of the various physiological functions may be the direct result of anæmia. On the other hand, anæmia may be only a symptom or sequel of some other morbid condition—but of such cases I do not now speak. I have to do here only with those cases where anæmia is the primary and etiological of a group of symptoms, and where therefore it is to this that the treatment must be mainly directed. Now let us see what this treatment is. Dr. Flint[15] suggests the following therapeutic measures: “first, a nutritious alimentation, into which meat should enter largely; second, the use of tonics and stimulants to render the digestive functions more active; third, iron as a special remedy—the effect of which is often remarkable; and, fourth, a regimen calculated to increase the energy of the assimilative functions, consisting of exercise in the open air, recreation, etc.” This agrees mainly with the views of other writers. It may conveniently be condensed under two heads, instead of four, namely: first, to secure for the patient appropriate food and adopt the best means to insure its assimilation; second, the administration of iron. As to the ingestion of appropriate food, open air exercise, etc., patients are of course to receive the necessary directions. The remainder of the therapeutic indications, as given above, are admirably met by electric baths. As we have seen in a preceding chapter ([p. 43] et seq.), they are a tonic and stimulant of the first order, and as nearly as possible a specific for the furtherance of the digestive and assimilative processes. When impregnated with iron, they constitute a treatment for anæmia which, in conjunction with the requisite diet and other hygienic measures, is inferior to no other. It will moreover be found very efficacious in counteracting secondary anæmia, and thus, by maintaining the general strength of the patient, often enable nature and appropriate treatment to cope successfully with the original disease.