The medical use of electricity : with special reference to general electrization as a tonic in neuralgia, rheumatism, dyspepsia, chorea, paralysis, and other affections associated with general debility : with illustrative cases / by Geo. M. Beard, and A.D. Rockwell.

  • Beard, George M. (George Miller), 1839-1883.
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The medical use of electricity : with special reference to general electrization as a tonic in neuralgia, rheumatism, dyspepsia, chorea, paralysis, and other affections associated with general debility : with illustrative cases / by Geo. M. Beard, and A.D. Rockwell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    Farmer's thermo-electric lattery, composed of bars of Grerman silver, and an alloy of zinc and antimony, ar- ranged in a Y shape, so as to be heated (by gas or an alcohol lamp) at their point of union, has recently come into use. An electro-magnetic machine is composed of a helix and vibrating armature, connected with some form of battery. It may be used with Bunsen's, Smee's, or Grove's battery, or with any modification of them, or with Farmer's thermo-electric battery. In magneto-electric machines a soft iron armature is made to pass rapidly the poles of a magnet by turning a crank. They are very inconvenient, and must soon give way to electro-magnetic machines. QUANTITY INTENSITY, OR TENSION. The quantity of electricity generated by any appara- tus is proportioned to the amount of chemical action that takes place in the battery. Intensity is that power that enables it to overcome resistances that may impede the progress of the current. The electricity of an ordinary thunder-storm is great in intensity, but exceedingly small in quantity. On the other hand, that which is generated by any ordi- nary form of battery has comparatively a great deal of quantity but little intensity. The quantity suppHed by any battery may be increased by increasing the chemi- cal action that takes place in it, either by making it larger, or by strengthening the acid solution. In a compound lattery the intensity is increased in proportion to the number of batteries, but the quantity is no greater than in the single battery of which it is composed. The relative meaning of these terms may be best un-