Medical electricity : a practical handbook for students and practitioners / by W.E. Steavenson and H. Lewis Jones.

  • Steavenson, W. E. (William Edward), 1850-1891.
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical electricity : a practical handbook for students and practitioners / by W.E. Steavenson and H. Lewis Jones. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    and galvanism, while others respond only to galvanism, with ACOKCC ; it may sometimes be possible to recognise in a muscle that a sluggish contraction appears after the quick contraction, the latter being produced by the sound fibres and the former by those which have the reaction of degeneration. 219. Paralysis after diphtheria.—The paralysis which follows diphtheria tends for the most part to spontaneous recovery, unless the medulla oblongata and its nerves are so seriously affected as to cause death by direct interference with the respiratory and cardiac mechanisms. The electrical reactions vary. There may be the reaction of degeneration, or simply a quantitative diminution, or they may be normal. Electrical treatment may be employed to hasten re- covery, and it is to be carried out generally according to the plan laid down in § 214 for the treatment of paralysis, and will of course depend upon the particular seat of paralysis in each case. The question whether diphtheric paralysis is to be regarded as due to coarse changes in the cord, or in the nerves, or whether it is not rather a toxic paralysis, has so far not been clearly settled. The paralysis which occurs after other specific fevers, such as typhoid, small-pox, scarlatina, and others, is perhaps of a similar nature. In some of these, however, and also sometimes after diphtheria, permanent changes are produced, with symptoms of chronic myelitis or chronic neuritis. 220. Lead palsy—In paralysis due to lead the re- action of degeneration is usually present, in fact it is an early symptom, and as has been shown (§ 171) it may precede the paralysis. The partial reaction of de- generation may be present in some of the affected muscles, and some may even show simple diminution. y 2