The exact measurement of the electric current, and other practical points in the destruction of hair by electrolysis : with especial reference to the use of the absolute galvanometer / by Morton Prince.

  • Morton Prince
Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The exact measurement of the electric current, and other practical points in the destruction of hair by electrolysis : with especial reference to the use of the absolute galvanometer / by Morton Prince. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    nearer to the points of the needles than the place of their in- troduction. In four minutes the needle connected with the negative pole became very loose, and hubbies of gas escaped around its point of entrance. In five minutes the needles were withdrawn, the negative one coming away easily, while the positive one, which was blackened and roughened, was firmly adherent. On cutting across the track of the negative needle, a cavity, one quarter by an eighth of an inch in diameter, was discovered, surrounded by a darkened gelatinous tissue, one- eighth of an inch in thickness. Extending from this to the point where most of the gas escaped was a mass resembling that .surrounding the cavity, looking more like softened glue thau healthy tissue. The track of the positive pole was black and charred, but the tissue immediately surrounding the point was firmer and whiter than in other parts. (2) A cat was put under the influence of chloroform and the needles were introduced into the right thigh one inch apart. Soon the fizzing sound was heard, which contihued until the needles were withdrawn, at the end of ten minutes. The tissue was softened around the negative and much hardened around the positive needle. The needles were then introduced into the left thigh of the same animal, and retained there for ten min- utes. In the post-mortem examination, several days later, the skin on the right thigh was found ulcerated for an inch in di- ameter. The muscles were separated down to the heel but not to the bone. There was a cavity under the skin large enough to hold a walnut. The left thigh presented similar appearances, the cavity being as large as an egg, and the mmscles separated down to the bone, as well as .softened and eaten away. Part of the femur was denuded of periosteum, but not eroded. Tlipso. of cour.'^e. are the efFect.s of powerful cur- rents luiio continued, hut tlie action from weak cur- rents is the same in kind, ditfering only in degree, and these experiments show how it is possible to produce on the face irreparable injury unless care be used.
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