Lectures on electricity, dynamic and franklinic, in its relations to medicine and surgery.

  • Rockwell, A. D. (Alphonso David), 1840-1925.
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Lectures on electricity, dynamic and franklinic, in its relations to medicine and surgery. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

    110/136 (page 104)
    oughly insulated and thrust in to a considerable depth. Before doing this, however, it is as well to try external applications, for, under this treatment also, we generally get a reduction in size, and occasionally absolute dispersion. I have seen several cures wrought by this simple method. One case, sent to me by Dr. J. Marion Sims, in which the growth was of considerable size and standing, has been already reported. A second one is as follows: Case XIX.—Miss C, aged twenty-one, was referred to me in May, 1876, by Dr. M. T. Pultz, of Dutchess County, N. Y. The enlargement first made its appearance several years pre- viously, and had gradually enlarged until it was a very appre- ciable deformity. Under very mild external applications of galvanism, continued for one month, the tumor disappeared, and has never returned. In those cases where external applications are followed by a certain reduction in size—be it great or little—and then ceases to be effective, the introduction of needles seldom fails to still further advance the process of resolution. Case XX.—Mrs. H., aged forty-two, came from Newark, N. J., March, 1877, for an opinion, both as to the probability of benefit from an electrolytic operation upon a large goitre, and for her general condition. The tumor had been coming for many years, and at intervals had been treated by various methods— among others, by injections into the substance of the growth, which resulted in some diminution in size, but at the same time set up an ulcerative process which was a long time in healing. Her general health was very poor. She was greatly emaciated, suffered almost constantly from nausea, and was unable to re- tain sufficient food for proper nourishment. The pulse was from 8o to 90, and through mental or physical disturbance would rise ten to twenty beats. It seemed probable that there was disease, or, at least, disturbance of the sympathetic ; but, as there was no protrusion of the eyes, it could not be classed un- der the head of exophthalmic goitre. The goitre was the largest that I had ever treated, approximating in size an ordinary drinking-bowl.