An essay on the medical application of electricity.

  • John Birch
Date:
1803
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on the medical application of electricity. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    5/62
    of Radii or Fluid. J. M. aged 18, received a blow from a ham- mer on his thumb, the pain of which extended up his arm, the flexor muscles were in a short time thrown into such strong action, that the fingers were immoveably contracted. The pro- per remedies, both internal and external, were ineffectually applied for several weeks; the lad was then sent to St. Thomas’s hospital, under the care of Mr. Chandler, who, finding his applica- tions unserviceable, sent him to the electric room for my opinion. In the presence of several of the young gentlemen, I placed the lad on the in- sulated chair, and connecting him to the prime conductor, I drew the electric fluid from the fore arm by a needle point. In about three apinutes he complained of uneasiness in the flexor muscles of the fingers; immediately the fingers began to extend, and in about five minutes he had the complete use of them. The indentation in the palm of his hand was considerable, from the length of time the fingers had been contracted. I prognosticated this effect would not be permanent; it continued, however, till the hour of rest; but in the morning the hand clenched. This readily gave way to the re-ap- plication
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3