*■ :i'■ V'-■*'■'■"• *'..■•T^Jufe;- ^;-^a^ ■A 'A •'•t ;.#*. ■.;.■.■;;* vv?A*^ /•LjV' ■* **W ftjrT,;r:*cj| ill *\.fc * /^ii &fti ;:3 NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE Bethesda, Maryland * * ;,fc ELECTRICITY, O R ETHEREAL FIRE, • CONSIDERED: ift. Naturally, as thi as the Agent of G*avita- Agent of animal and ve- tion and Motion: getableLifs: 3d. Medically,Oritsar- ad. Astronomically, or tificial Use in Diseases. COMPREHENDING BOTH THS THEORY AND PRACTICE O F MEDICAL ELECTRICITY; AND DEMONSTRATED TO BE AN INFALLIBLE CURE of FEVER, INFLAMMATION, AND MA NT OTHER DISEASES! constituting THE BEST FAMILT PHTSICUN EVER EXTANT. Br T. GALE, m. d. PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, TROY: PRINTED BY MOFF1TT & LYON* 1802. C: PREFACE, Kind Reader, 1 he moil of modern Authors are obliged to apoI« ogize for attempting the improvement of fubje&s fo frequent- ly, and very often fo fuccefsfully treated of by their prede- ceffora: but as the principal part of the fubfequent pages are occupied on fubjefts entirely new, I have no apology of that defcription to make. I have only to defire my reader to look rather at the matter, than at the manner of my treating the various fubjefts which I have taken under consideration. ethereal fire, or eleclricity, is a fubject both novel and oc- cult. Authors who have written on the fubjecf., if we may fuppofe they ever entered on the margin thereof, have re- mained at an infinite diftance from the knowledge of its prop- erties, nature and agency. A few of them, it is true, have difcovered ele&ricity to be a valuable mean of health ; and have recommended it to mankind : But the leading princi- ples, even to the acquit ement of its medical powers, have for- ever palled their observation. In the following work I have endeavoured to make found- ings, to go to the bottom of thi3 intricate fubjecf, to unlock the cabinet, and prefent my readers with fome of the phe- nomena of natute. My firft. defign, however, was to invefligate medical electricity only; but this latent, myfterious and pow- erful agent, pervades all creation, ia capable of aiTuming f jch a variety of appearances, and of pioducing fuch a variety of effects, both in the animate and inanimate creation, I could nor. pafs the importance of its agencyjn creation, in filence., I have fiift. treated of its natural agency in fupporting animal* and vegetable life—have defcribtd done of its different Hates, and how the health of ani.n us is affected thereby. I have then further confideied its vat bus properties and effects, its various mollifications and ftatee, and have applied them to the celeftial bodies, and fhown in lA cleared manner, that the whole phe < 4 PREFACE. nomena of gravitation and motion are founded in this ethereal iire —have applied it in particular to the rotations and motions in our own globe, and have demonftrated, that her diurnal rotation upon her axis, her annual rotation round the fun, her ecliptic motion in her orbit, the inequality of her di- urnal rotation, and the acceleration of her motion when the * fun is in the fouthern hemifphere, are altogether performed by the powerful agency of electricity, or ethereal fire. I have fhown that the polar effufions pteferve the torid zone from deftru&ion by tornadoes. And finally, that all motion in earth, air and water, is to be afcribed to the exifting agen- cy of ethereal fire. I have fhown the probability, if not the certainty, that the fun of our fyftem is an infinite, or an in- calculable condenfation of ethereal fire, and being unexpand- ed, the degrees of his cold are i\ proportion to the degrees of his denfation ; that his inaccefiible luftre is the confequence of infinite denfation of ele&ric fire ; that all animals and vege- tables participate of a degree of the fame element; and that the prefence of the fun, or the action of his light, induces dif- ferent ftates in that diminiflied degree of ethereal fire which pervades his whole fyftem ; and by enduring thefe different ftates, all his fyftem is put into their ftveral rotations and motions; that the action of his light reduces that elafliciiy, or unyielding inflexible property of ethereal fire, or elefti icky, in certain degtees of its denfity, whereby not only the fyfttm ib put in motion, but the vegetable life is promoted ; and that ao exceflive reduction of the elafticity of elementary fire, is unfavourable to the health of animal life, as the lungs are ' lefs expanded, and the circulations impeded. I have then de~ monilr-tA the analogy exifting between the natural and fpir- itual world ; thit the natural world is framed after the pat- i tern of the fpiritual; that as the natural fun governs hi« whole inanimate fyftem by the glory of his ptefence, he is a flri- king emblem of the fun of the fpiritual world : anJ, that aa * all 3nimala and vegetables participate of the fame element cf the natural fun, his prefence is the prolific power of all itiimals and vegetables, their life and animation ; fo alfo is the fpiritual fun the quickening, fuitaining, animating princi- ple of life to all moral intelligences who participate the na- ture of the fpiritual fun. But as all moral iiitel.iger.ct3 neither PRL1-ACE. 5 have, nor defire to have, nor will believe there is to be had, the foul-animating prefence of a fpiritual fun, the analogy be- tween the natural and fpiritual world is broken, and I open the volume of nature, if he wiil believe nothing elfe, to preach to him the doctrine of his depravity. Having by this time taken an extenfive, but concife view of the wonderful agency that Heaven hath affigned to the fingle element of fire, I have fuggefted the propriety of impro- ving it artfully, as an excellent antidote of difeafe3 and preserv- ative of health. I h"ve fuggefted, that, confidering the Au- thor of nature has endowed this element with fuch a variety of exquifite powers in the ftate of nature, it is at leaft prudent to attempt fome artificial improvement of it, and not to be tampering altogether with the mere fragments of natuie. But, for myfelf, a probability is fuperceded by actual ex» periments continued alnoft twenty years ; it is for the fake of thofe who have had iktre or no experience in medical elec- tricity, that I have fuggefted probabilities. A certain con- viction of its ineftimable worth, hath impofed it a duty on my confeience to publifh my improvements aud difcovcries to mankind. This i*3 the part of the fubject that affords me pleafure, and that in which mankind are deeply intercfted. The oth- er parts afford fpeculation to philofophers and aftronomers ; but this is that in which the lives, healths and interefts of ail ranks, ages and defcriptions of people are concerned. It is to be regretted, that electricity h2th ever been ufed as a medicine, until its nature and effects were better ur.der- ftood. Its ufe hath been greatly perverted, and the firft ex- pectations of many greatly fruftrated and difappointed. Want of a due degree of knowledge to adrrinifter it, hath general- ly rendered abortive every intention of cure by the applica- tion. From which hath arifen the caufe of electricity hav- ing remained in fuch low repute in the minds of many peo- ple. Phyficians alfo take an undue advantage of this cir- cumftance, and feem determined that it is either not of any ufe, or if it is, that mankind fhall never know it. They will not give themfelves the trouble of inquiring into the fubject; but they are very lavifh of ftigmas and calumnies on thofe who will do it. Some of them will hear attentively arguments 6 PREFACE. on the fubject of medical electricity, which they neither can l.or will attempt to refute in prefence of one who underttanda the docliine, but will l»fe n ) opportunity of prejudicing the Minds of their neighbours againft it, efpecially as far as their practice extends. J'hey make mc think of th>fe who m.-u'e fhrines to the goddefs Diana of Ephefus, and got their living luertby: they cry out, great is the materia medic t.' This electrician is like to do us much damage ! Who knows not that all the world (excepting a few iufignificant quacks) have bowed down to the great materia medical Yes, bowed, many millions, q'lite into the dull. No matter for that, the flirinc- makers got a good living by it. But 1 have, kind reader, ftood aloof to all their infolence, have gone abreaft to all their oppofition, and have completed a fubject, which for its intricacy and importance outvies all undei takings of the kind ever extant. I have unclouded the glory of thi: ineftimable medicine, have extricated it from all the abufes it Inrh fuffered from thofe who have neither knowvi its nature nor its effects ; I have prefented it to univerfal obfervation, full-oibcd wi.h all its medical powers. I have long fince defpaired of the aid of phyficians to promulgate medical electricity, yea, been convinced that many of them were, to a degree of malice, oppofed to it. Theconftquence hath been, that I have treated the fubject in a very plain, familiar manner ; that any man of common ingenuity may perfectly underftand the bufinefs—may have a clear know- ledge of the effect of the electric fhocks—of the infobtion or filing the body with fire—in what manner the (hocks muft be directed, and repeated, in every particular dileafe— what care mult be taken of the patient ; and what corrobo- rating means in many cafej muft be applied with electricity. I have demonftratcd that the electric fhocks produce that very Angular effect which is neceffary to remove fever and inflammation ; that if it is ufed in the firft ftages of a fever, there can be no failure of cure ; it muft prove an infallible remedy. 1 have, in the courfe of the work, confidered the falutary effects of the electric (hocks, in a great number of difeafts—have'fhown that the fluids conduct the eledtu'c fue, and in what manner the fluids and folids are affected by the (hock ;—that ia a prudent ufe of it, every effect produced, in PREFACE. 7 fluids or folid3, is falatary, and tends to prevent or to remove difeafes. 1 have clearly demonftrated, that a proper «fe of elect lie fire is capable of preventing all general difeafes in the human body ; and that no known general difeafe can originate in the human body without a miracle. Thefe affertions will, undoubtedly, appear too good to be tru:'. with thofe who have obferved many impolitions offered to the public in this line ; but let my reader reflect for a moment, that the medi- cine I am recommending i« infinitely greater than any thing elfe in the natural world ; that it is the very foul of the uni- rerfe ; that it is the accelerating, ar.i:r. tir.g and all-fuftair.ing jAinciple both of the anirmte and inanimate creation ; that the Author of nature hath endowed it with many exquifite powers, and that, in the aitificial improvement of ttu-m, it tranfeends all mineral and vegetable productions of medical fpecifics, as the foul t>f the vegetable kingdonn tranfeends the meie fragments thereof. Moreover, fo far as experience hath gone, no perfon under the ufe of electricity hath ever been arretted by any fever, pleuri y, ptripneunony or inflame roalion of the lungs, rheumatifm or any kind cf inflammatory difeafe—for it is absolutely anti-febrile to all intents and purpofes, and generally anti-fpalmodic : it expands every veffel, more or lefs, according to the ftiei:gth of the fhock ; it imparts elaftic fprings to the vcffels, and accelerates the circulation, and ferments the fluids univerfaily ; it promotes every defcription of the Secretions ; it puiifies the blood and cleanfes the fyftem of humours ; confequently no perfon who ufea the electric (hocks frequently, and v.ith thst degree of piudence which I have taught in the body of the work, ever has, or ever can be troubled with dropfies, ulcers, cancers, quinfeys, king's evil, St. Anthony's fire, biles, tumefactions, polypus, or extravafitation of the circulations. Had I known the effects of an electric fhock on the f lids and fluids, it would hive been eafy, without an experiment, to deter- mine that it was a remedy of every difeafe I have mention. cd, or that it was eafy forever to prevent them. Some will reply, according to this plan, man will live forever. I mean no fuch thing ; but I mean thus much, that there is bo doubt but that the gieater part of mankind will fpin out their years to great length, and efcape much pain, ficknefs ^nd S PREFACR. diftrefs— will efcape thofe rheumatics, ulcers, Sec. whiA deftroy the nerves* and joint;, and leave them decrcpid for life ; this may certainly be added to the catalogue of blef- fings, with all the aforementioned. If this ij not tiue, how came it to pafs that the ctlebrat--d fohn Weflcy, who, when about middle aged, was in a pulmonary confumption of the lungs, from taking too large quantities of the bark in fub- ftance, as he fays; notwithftanding all this and the manner of his life, which was fedentary, he fuivived to 98 years. Hit brother Charles, I believe, is yet living, and muft be more than ico years of age. i htfc men made frequent ufe of elect-icity, a,id recommend it in the moft pathetic forms. As for •uyfelf, I have ufed it vtry freely, tfptcially in the warm fcafons, for neaily twenty years, and I have had no kind of difeafe duri.ig this time, not even pained for a mi- nute, excepting by fome trilling wound, and once for a few hours, by neglecting the ufe of phyfic ; my conflitution is much haler, and 1 am in much beitei health than when I began the ufe of it ; for my health was greatly impaired by a bili >ua habit and frequent attacks of the fever, continual jaundice, and pain in my left fide, all which are totally eradicated and left me in perfect health ; and thin has btea effected by the is obvious from all that hath been obferv- ed of its effects on animal and vegetable life. The fluids of animals and vegetables contain more, in proportion to their bulk, of this ele- mentary fire, than the folids of either ; and it is the peculiar propenfity of this effluvia, to put in.agitation any bodies capable of moving or of being acted upon by this agent. Thus the heart of every animal gives the firft motion to ELECTRICITY. 17 the blood, this perpetuated by the dilation and contraction of the arteries; at the fame time each particle of the fluids has attached to it a globular atmofphere: this atmofphere buoys up, enlivens and facilitates the flow of blood thro' every part of the fyftem ; and being contained chiefly in the fluids, doth, in fome degree, fill and diftend the veffels, and thus excite their action. It is my opinion that could this ele- ment be extracted from an animal or vegetable, there would be an inftantaneous decay, which would foon terminate in the death of either. In fupporting the diminifhed life of the ve- getable, a diminifhed action is allotted to this effluvia ; its globular atmofpheres always tend to propel, buoy up and diffufe to every the moft extreme part of every flower and branch of the fpreading tree: And it is on this prin- ciple only we can account for the juices amend- ing and diffufing themfelves throughout the vegetable growth. Deficiency^ of ethereal fire fubverfive of health. Life and health being fo much fufpended on a full fupply of this quickening principle, it follows that any deficiency thereof muft tend -j- I muft o\f a, that I am ftaggered in determining whether this deficiency, as I call it, doth confift in the reduction of the elafticity of ethereal fire only, or whether, by fome meati9 not yet underftood, elementary fire is abfolutely diffipated and diminiflied in quantity—its eLfticity muft be reduced to promote the vegetable growth, for the vegetable life Suites, B 15 ANIMAL and VEGETABLE directly to diminifh life and health either in the animal or vegetable creation : as it refpects the animal life, the deficiency is in the air, the lungs are not fufficiently vitiated ; as it ref- pects the vegetable, the foil is deficient in containing it. Defciency of ethereal fire caufes difeafes of debility* A continued deficiency of exifting powers, tend to induce difeafes of debility, and inaf- much as they arife from deficiency of ftimulus, are denominated direct, or difeafes of direct debility ; as this refpects the animal life, the remedy is the artificial infolation, opium, bran- dy, and the more durable ftimulus of diet, &c. As it refpects the vegetable life, the remedy is water, and fuch manure as contains a great- er quantity of this elementary fire. It was contended before that there is a vaft difpro- portion in the quantity contained in folids, in the winter feaf.n. When this element becomes very dtr/z and elaftic, their fluids cannot Ajw in confequence if thia refiftance to motion. I am moil apt to think, that the re- duction of tl fticity is a diminution of the exifting quantity of ethereal fire—but peihaps fome future experiment mty convince me of a miftake. This element affumes fuch a variety of appearances, and produces effects as various and as unaccounta' \. as the phenomena of its appearances, that perhaps it will be the bufinefs of ages fully to comprehend them all. But one thing I am certain of, and that is, as this eLfticityin air fubfides, animal life languiftiee ; and tht the artificial ii-fclaticB dhe&ly irivigordics the fyftem.. ELECTRICITY. '9 (metalic fubftances excepted) compared with that which is contained in fluids ; hence there is not only a deficiency of this element in the circumambient air, by reafon of heat; but through the inability of the foil to contain this element, there is alfo a deficiency—dry loam, fand, &c. contain but a fcanty portion of this elementary tire. There is reafon to believe that the plafter of Paris is highly impregnated with this fire, for it is a non-condu<5tor, as alfo lime ; but this is faid to be imparted by culinary fire, in burn- ing the ftone ; after the fame manner it is imparted into the afhes of wrood, which ren- ders them fo valuable a manure. Some fuppofe it is imparted into iron, to render it fteel; and is contained in great quantities in a fluid form, as in fpirits by diftillation. Intenfe heat caufes a deficiency of this quickening effluvia. Notwithstanding what hath been faid above of imparting elementary fire by the cu- linary, which is but a different modification of the fame element; yet the inftant thefe bodies, or others fimilar, undergo this heat, they ap- pear to be diverted of that which is peculiar to them in their cool ftate; glafs, in particular^ when heat to a certain degree, will receive and convey the electric fhock as freely as brafs or fteel ; but as foon as it is cool again, will make the fame rjiiftance as before; this rcfiitance is. ANIMAL and VEGETABLE. fuppofed to be made by the vaft quantity im- parted into the fuuftance of the glafs in the furnace ; but however that may be, it is cer- tain that whenever it is again rarified by heat, the refiftance is loft, the imparted element fub- fides, and the properties of the glafs appear to be effentially changed. However, as to the truth of this element's being imparted in any form, I am not anxious to maintain it; it is not much to my purpofe, it is rather the opinion of others : but it is to my prefent purpofe to fhew, that the rarification of heat, caufes a de- ficiency of this electric effluvia, which is fo neceffary to life and health. It being fo far evident, that fome bodies contain fo much of this ethereal element, as their natural quanti- ty, in a cool ftate, that they refift the approach of an additional quantity, made by art, as glafs, bees-wax, tallow and fome other bodies ; yet when thefe bodies are rarified by heat, they become diverted of this natural quantity, or at leaft of its elafticity, and will as freely receive an additional quantity as iron or water, which quantity is fupplied to them by the artificial machinery. If we apply thefe reafonings to the element of air, which in a cold ftate is as much a non-conductor as glafs, bees-wax, &c. and undoubtedly from the fame caufe, viz. its own cxceffive natural quantity ; it will follow, that heat, in proportion to its degree, diverts common air of this ethereal element, or of its claiiicity ; the confequencc is, that in proper- ELECTRICITY. 21 tion as the air is diverted of this effential pro- perty, the animal life muft fuffer in refpiration ; the lungs receive and fupply lefs of this ani- mating and quickening power, and the animal functions grow more and more languid, and impaired ; and if continued long, muft termi- nate in difeafes of debility. It would be fa- perfluous for me to obferve, that difeafes of debility are peculiarly frequent in hot countries and climates ; I mean rather to trace the caufe to its fource ; and if it fhould appear to be a deficient fupply of this ethereal fire, I fhall lay a foundation for what I fhall hereafter recom- mend in difeafes of debility as an excellent rem- edy, viz. the artificial infolation, with fome light fhocks to accompany the infolation. Glafs, by being rarified by heat to a certain degree, lofes its tranfparency and elafticity ; the fame feems to hold true of common air ; when the air is thus rarified by heat, with what difficulty do the lungs expand ! Fowls that are ufed to foaring aloft, and drawing in full draughts of this pure ethereal fire, attached in great quantities to common air, will inftant- ly expire if brought into a light rarified ftate of air by a fire fide. It would feem, that the elafticity afcribed to common air, fhould rather be afcribed to this elementary fire attached to it, as alfo its mo- tion : there is reafon to believe, that, was com- mon air totally diverted of this ethereal fire, it would remain as ina&ive as a pond of water. 22 ANIMAL and VEGETABLE I have obferved one circumftancc that induces me to think this is the cafe ; I have obferved, that when a thunder-cloud hath paffed, highly charged with this fiery element, or electrical ef- fluvia, attached to common air, it is diffufcd or blows in every direction from the cloud; even when it hath gone by, it will blow ftrongly back upon you: the force of the effufion or blowing, is in proportion to the exifting de- gree of heat beneath the cloud, which heat conftitutes a-vacuum ; and partly in propor- tion to the exifting quantity of electrical efflu- via contained in the cloud. It is more than probable, that clouds which difcharge fnow in winter, contain equal quantities of this ele- mentary fire with thofe that emit that element in an expanded form, during the hot feafons; but the element in which they float, viz. com- mon air, is equally impregnated with the fame clement; hence there is no approaching vacu- um ; and confequently, no effufions or emif- fions of electricity expanded, or lightning ; no hurricanes, no tornadoes, in any clime where this equilibrium is widely extended : and the extenfion of the equilibrium is determined by the fame degrees of exifting cold, throughout any particular clime. As it may be entertain- ing to the inquifitive philofopher, I will endea- vour to explain, in my broken manner, the foregoing principles, and demonftrate that the whole phenomena of gravitation and motion are founded in, and performed by the various ELECTRICITY. 23 ftates, effects and operations of this ethereal element, called fire, when expanded. In at- tempting a thefis fo occult, intricate and novel, and within fuch fcanty limits, my reader will undoubtedly complain of fome deficiency of demonftration ; but as the refources of evi- dence, in refpect of gravitation and motion, have occupied but a little of my attention, and are, from the imperceptibility of the ele- ment in which they are undoubtedly found- ed, fo exceedingly remote from obfervation ; 1 hope I may be excufed in what may appear deficient in point of inveftigation of the prin- ciples. A ban's of confiderable part of the fubject is already executed, and prefented to my hand, in a late publication, entitled, ct The Studies of Nature," by a new prince of philofophers. 1 mean the immortal De Saint Pierre, whofe capacious foul feems to have grafped almoft the whole vifible creation, explored innume- rable laws and harmonies throughout the animal and vegetable world—all ftampt with divinity—all paying homage to a God infinite- ly wife, who is feen in the things that are made. This philofopher, like the eaftern ftar of old, guides, not very wife men, but atheifts and deifts, and points them to their knees before the infant, infinite Bethlehem God ! Hence- forth, let no man boart of talents, who would darken the light of nature, whofe reflective ray?, under the-ken of true philofophy. apprc- 24 ANIMAL and VEGETABLE hend a God ; nay more, a God incarnate ! This truly great philofophcr fees all creation harmonizing, but man ; him he proves de- faced, felf-exiled from his God. I know not whether the capacious or moral beauties of his mind outfhine ; his productions have lef- fsned the dignity of a Newton ; yea, all that name philofophyr, muft ftand before him bare, as comets, fronts of atmofphere, when they approach the effulgent glories of a fun. This author has accounted for the currents in the feas, in a mort judicious manner, and upon principles entirely new ; but thefe prin- ciples exactly correfpond with my doctrine of gravitation and motion ; and prevent me of a talk, to which I fhould have been inadequate. In treating of the diurnal motion of our globe, 1 fhall have recourfe to the currents of the feas, and fhall take the fubject. up, where this au- thor has left it. He has not only demonftra- ted that thefe currents do exift in the oceans ; but alfo, that they proceed from the half-year- ly melting of the ices, in the polar regions alternately. In addition to what he hath ad- vanced on the fubject, I fhall take the liberty to confider thefe currents as proceeding upon the true principles of gravitation and motion. It muft not be underftood, that I mean any contradiction to what De Saint Pierre has taught on this head, but only to analizc the fubject of gravitation and motion. It is ncc:f- firy to treat of thefe caufes anci. their effects in ELECTRICITY. 25 different terms. I {hall alfo make a further ufe of thefe currents in preferving the torrid zone. In order to make it apparent, that gravita- tion and motion have their origin in the va» rious ftates or degrees of denfity of this ethe- real electricity, if I may fo call it, I fhall endeavour to defcribe, in a very brief manner, the evidences of thefe different ftates on which 1 build my doctrine of gravitation and motion in our globe, and probably in all worlds. I fhall, in the progrefs of this fubject, ufe the term ethereal fire, defignedly fubftituted for atmofphere; and mall premife, that this ele- ment fills infinite fpace, and is as an ocean, in- to which the Author of nature has launched all worlds; and that the fun of each refpective fyftem doth, by its inherent qualities, induce the gravitation and motions peculiar to his own fyftem. This ethereal element, which I think is de- fer vedly called the foul of the univerfe, (for without it, neither animals nor vegetables could live, nor harmony exift in all thofe fwarms of worlds that float, as it were, in her bowels, and are governed by her laws) af- fumes a variety of ftates and powers. I call it fire, becaufe, when it expands, it is capable of giving flame to combuftibles, as lightning will fire a tree, buildings, and many bodies. The fpark from an electrical machine will give flame to fpirits j and if the fpark were fufiici* C 26 ASTRONOMICAL ently copious, it would produce all the effects of lightning. I call it froft, becaufe, according to the exifting degree of its denfity, fo is the degree of cold. I call it inflexible and unyield- ing, becaufe, according to the degree of exift- ing cold, fo doth this element make refiftance to the motion of other bodies, to which it is attached in great quantities. When this ele- ment is diffufed copioufly, it becomes luminous, as in the aurora-borealis; and tails of comets, it may be, are of the fame defcription. I will endeavour to illuftrate thefe ideas, partly by the artificial electrical machine, and partly from other fources. There are fo many people that have been charged with this ethereal element, from the electrical machinery, who have received no kind of warmth from the infolation but what arofe from the quickening of the circulations; but by applying their finger nigh enough to a glafs of fpirits to emit the fpark, the fpirit would take flame from the fire emitted from the fin- ger, that I need not ufe much argument toprove that this element is the progenitor of flame, al- though, in its primeval ftate, it is not poffeffed of that quality we call warmth in any degree. Even when this element is diffufed fo copioufly as to appear luminous in time of night, it gives a fenfation of cold: This may be perc jived by holding the hand before a pointed v ire which is in contact with the prime conductor of an electrical machine, and the machine charged j ELECTRICITY. 27 the effufion will proceed from the extremity of the point, and has all the appearances of the northern lights; but the illumination is vifible only in a dark room. That the exifting degree of denfity of this element determines the exifting degree of cold; or, contrariwife, that the exifting degree of cold determines the exifting degree of elemen- tary fire, unexpanded, I fhall produce the fol- lowing evidences, viz.—It is evident, by charg- ing an electrical machine, that more of this electrical effluvia, or etherial fire, pervades the circumambient air of the machine in cold days of winter, than in warm fummer days: the machine will not only charge much higher, but the fire is promoted more freely. This circum- ftance is a conclufive evidence^ that the degrees of cold are determined by the exifting degrees of denfity of ethereal fire. My reader will pleafe to excufe my paradoxical terms, feeing it is the fame element, but in different ftates or degreeg* of which I am treating, that has all the oppo- fition of fire and froft : But I fhall bring for- ward more evidence as I proceed. That this ethereal fire is poffeffed of an un- yielding, inflexible quality, according to the degree of its denfity, or of cold, I produce the following evidence, viz.—I have invented a ve- ry fimple mean of afcertaining the quantity of a charge, in a receiver, which I call an elect- rometer ; and it faintly reprefents a fyftem of globes, when the machine is charged. It is done 28 ASTRONOMICAL thus: I cut into a round feven or eight pieces of cork, the fize of fmall peas : I make them faft to the ends of as many fine linen threads, of fix inches long: thefe are to be made faft: by the other ends of the threads to a large wire, the bignefs of a pipe-ftem : one end of this wire is placed in a focket in the upper fide of the conductor, and muft be about eleven or twelve inches long, and the threads feized to the up- per end: the top of the wire muft be covered with bees-wax, to prevent the fire from flying off: the balls will hang about rr/idway of the wire. The demonftration imde by this arti- ficial fyftem, if I may venture to call it fucfr, is very Angular, and r.ot only reflects light on the fubject of the laft paragraph, but prefents a phenomenon to view. I will defcribe it. If the machine is charged in a warm fum- mer day, thefe balls will fuddenly condenfe round themfclves quantities of the cSliivia, by whic.-/mey may be,-in a cool or dry day, re- pelled to a horizontal plane, and fometimes higher; but this is by means of the wire on which they are fufpended, which alfo contains a quantity, and tends to buoy them up. If yon approach them with a lighted candle, they will revolve from the two extremes of the horizon- tal plane of their atmofpheres,* to the lighted * Ic will he oIArvsd that I have ufed iht term atrrofphere, but it u for diftin&ion fike. Atmofphere impinges on atrnof- tlr.ie, and makes crie tun'ivi.'ed whole; atmofpherr governs net, unlcfs it i:rpi"ges on another j this tl-md.t will nA re« ELECTRICITY. 29 candle, which may be called their perihelions; thence they take a retrograde motion, and re- volve round each other, till the threads bring them into clofe contact. This phenomenon I beheld with admiration ; I tried many other bodies, hot iron and cold iron; they produced no fuch effect: In fhort, I have never been able to find any body, fave light, that would pro- duce any fuch effect. They will attract to any bodies lefs electrified that will convey the fhock; but if a body higher electrified approaches them, it will repel them, at a given diftance, that is, as foon as their atmofpheres impinge on each other; juft as the fun will repel an inferior at- mofphere of a comet, at a certain diftance. The revolutions produced in the artificial fyftem, appear calculated rather to explain cometary aftronomy, than planetary. I can difcover nothing that looks like rotation upon the axis of a globe. They firft gravitate to- wards the candle, or artificial fun, and will ap- proach, comet-like, within juft fuch a diftance, and are then repelled. If you would force the lighted candle upon them, they will avoid it in every direction; but if you extinguifti the flame, the whole fyftem will fall into contact with it. Hence light is the agent, the nature of which deferves our attention. There is no flame nor light but what proceeds primarily from electric pel its own particles, unlefs in near contaft—nor w'H the fun lepcl a comet, but at a certsio diftance, not\ .uidUtriJig ite infinite denfity of the farce clement. c 3° ASTRONOMICAL fire ; this is the mother of fire and of light. I have fuppofed the fun to be an infinite denfa- tion of ethereal fire, which conftitutes his bril- liancy. We may fuppofe, from one circum- ftance, that the burning of tallow in a candle, forms a light, the nature of which is the nigh- eft to that of a fun, excepting fuch other bod- ies as bear a correfpondency to tallow. The fame quantity of blaze, made by fuel, doth not contain half fo much light as that of the tallow candle. The reafon I fhall aflign for it, is this : tallow is one of thofe bodies which inherits fo great a natural quantity, that it will not receive any artificial quantity, in confequence thereof, and being thus united by fome inexplicable law in the fubftance of the tallow, is with it emitted, or as it were oozed into flame: this operation is a medium between the effufion and expanfion of ethereal fire. I will name it flam- umfufion, that is, fufion with or in flame. This flamumfufion, or ethereal fire in flame, in or with the tallow, produces forcible rays of light, and very aptly mimics the action of the fun's light upon her fyftem. It will appear that I am certainly right, when we confider that what I have ventured to call flamumfufion of elec- tric fire, produces the fame repulfive effect up- on my artificial fyftem, that the greater electri- fied ball produces upon the leffer—hence there muft be electric fire (give it what name you will) contained in the blaze of the candle. But this artificial fyftem refifts motion in fe\ * re cold, ELECTRICITY. 3» or according to the degrees of the natural den- fity of ethereal fire—the warmer the weather, the quicker is their motion. This my reader will pleafe to bear in mind, until we fhall ac- count for the quickening of the earth's motion, when the fun is in the fouthern hemifphere, and her nigher approach to the fun, as well as the inequality of her rotation upon her axis. But I have a further ufe to make of my ar- tificial fyftems; for they do not only refift mo- tion from the approach of light, in proportion to the exifting degree of denfity of this ethe- real fire, or cold; but they refill motion from other caufes; thus, in charging the machine, in fevere cold, they are very obftinate in repul- fion, and the operation muft wait fome time to difcover the diameters of their atmofpheres, which is determined by the diftances of the globes (which by the way difcovers the quan- tity of the charge in any particular receiver.) In arriving to their utmoft diftances, they are evidently refitted by an unyielding quality or property, peculiar to an encreafed natural den- fity of this ethereal element. Again, when the machine is difcharged, there is the fame refift- ance in their coming into contact with each other; but in warm days of fummer, they are immediately repelled% and on difcharging the machine, they are inftantly in contact again.— But if it fhould be afked whether this refiftance is made by the denfity of the furrounding ek Huvia attached to common air, or whether iji "4 ASTRONOMICAL in any degree arifes from the inflexibility of the effluvia, that forms the plufs electrification in the receiver and throughout the machine; I anfwer, in extracting the fpark from the ma- chine, there is evidently a refiftance; the arti- ficial quantity inherits the quality of the nat- ural. The plufs electrification is not voided, and the equilibrium reftored with a fingle touch in a cold day in winter, as in a warm fummer day. This confirms one point, viz. that the refiftance is abfolutely founded in elementary fire, according to the degrees of its denfity, and that the exifting degrees of cold are the criterion by which it may be known. Fur- thermore, it is fomething probable that the nat- ural, if not the artificial denfity of ethereal fire, may be promoted to fuch incalculable degrees, as to render all means of expanfion utterly impof- fible; and it is not improbable that the great Author of nature has conftituted the luminary of day upon thefe very principles: it is very ev- ident that the fun of our fyftem poffeffes the qualities of electrical fire; it certainly repels the atmofphere of a comet, as one plufs electri- fied ball in an electrical machine will repel the atmofphere of another, and the leffer atmof- phere gives place to the greater. The amazing brilliancy of the fun, may alfo arife from its in- finite denfity; what has been faid of the tranf- parency of glafs, may reflect fome light on the fubject: Electricity becomes luminous by copi- ous effufions, as before obferved, tut unexpand- ELECTRICITY. 33 ed. The air is more brilliant in fevere cold, or according to the degree of the exifting den- fity of the electrical element attached to it.— The liquid element, as water, becomes more lu- minous when congealed to ice by the intenfe- nefs of the extreme denfity of the fame effluvia. But it is peculiarly neceilary that 1 fupport my laft propofition, that is, that water is congealed by this elementary fire uncxpanded; I prove it thus: there are feveral bodies, that from their own inherent natural quantity, as glafs, Ices- wax, tallow, Sec. refift the approach of an arti- ficial quantity, as hath been before obferved, until by warmth that natural quantity is dimin- ifhed; the fame holds true of ice, and of fnow, in a degree; an icicle, in fevere cold, refifts the fpark from the prime conductor of an electri- cal machine, or is at beft but an imperfect con- ductor; whereas, let it be refolved to water, which muft be done by warmth, and the refi^. ance to motion is entirely loft, both in respect of its own particles, and that of the electric fpark. Hence it is evident, that it^ brilliancy arifr-s from the exceflive quantity of the ethere- al effluvia impregnated into this liquid element, which alfo congeals it to iee. Prom all thefe circumftances, it appears that an encreafed den- fity of the electrical effluvia, is an encreafed de- gree of brilliancy, and in the hands of its divine Author, maybe encreafed, ad infinitum; and confequently we have every reafon to believe that this element, which 1 call the foul of the 34 ASTRONOMICAL univerfe, is wrought by the finger of God into fuch an encreafed degree of denfity, as conlti- tutes the unapproachable luftre of the fun. Here let us paufe a moment, and behold the wifdom of-the great Architect. This ethereal fire which pervades all creation, in a degree, is the fburce of life and growth to the whole family of animals and vegetables; and, as we fhall by and by perceive, produces all the phe- nomena of motion, in earth, air and feas—fee its utmoft glories confummated in the fun; be- hold him as the envoy of heaven, fitting re- gent, as on a throne of ftate, and by tacit thun- ders of his laws, bids his fyftem roll in orders intricate and multiform—looks on the frigid zones, bids, their ices yield to liquid form, and flow profufe from pole to pole; nor lets the lim- pid ocean ficken tyeneath the luftre of his face, jior air, nor feas in frantic forms appear.^ But thefe notes are a little premature; it is time to recapitulate thofe principles which have been laid down as a leading clue to the inveftigation of the doctrine of gravitation and motion, and on which I fhall endeavour to make it appear they are founded. I think it is experimentally demonftrated, that this ethereal fire is as extenfive as earth, air or water—that it pervades infinite fpace; that, however certain immenfe bodies of it may be attached to particular globes, yet this body effects no government, but by being in near contact with other bodies of the fame element; which is nearly tantamount to what was faid before; it is as an ocean, in which floats infinite creation. It is furthermore demonftrated, that this ethereal fire* affumes very different appear- ances, and oppofi'e ftates and effects, according to the degrees of its denfity; that in an encreaf- ed degree of its denfity, motion is refitted, both in refpect of its own body, and of thofe other bodies in which it exifts—that the congealing of water to ice, is a fpecimen of its denfity and inflexibility—that notwithftanding water is as apt a conductor almoft as fteel or iron; yet when it is congealed to ice, or imbibes an en- creafed degree of this inflexible effluvia, it will refift the electric fpark; this is undoubtedly caufed by the encreafed degree of its own nat- ural quantity of fire ; and it is furthermore ev- ident, that an excefllve natural degree of elec- tric effluvia, will make refiftance, even to the expanfion itfelf of the artificial degree. It is alfo demonftrated. that warmth, in pro- portion to its degree, deftroys the elafticity or unyielding inflexible qualities of this ethereal fire ; and that by producing this effect, motion proceeds,both in refpect of the elementary fire, and of thofe other bodies with which it is in contact, whether it be earth, air or water; and * Although it is hard for us to conceive of fire without burning ; yet as there is no fire but by the expanfion of this element in fome form or other, I have ventured to ufe the term fire. It certainly appears to be the mother of fire and of funs. 36 ASTRONOMICAL that this warmth is produced by the action of the fun's light, no one will pretend to difpute; it is become too familiar to our fenfes to need any argumentation to illuftrate it. We have noticed and demonftrated, by actual experi- ment, that light will produce an effect upon an artificial fyftem of globes, which no other body can be found to produce ; that the light of a candle will produce motions, which may be demonftrated perihelions and aphelions, and f6me other motions which cannot be at prefent fairly explained and applied to the fyftems of nature, becaufe the globules are conftrained by the threads on which they are fufpended. We have made it apparent, that this electric efflu- via is not poffeffed of the quality of warmth naturally, or in the ftate of nature, but that warmth is an effect of its action, or expanfion ■—it produces warmth in animals by accelerating the circulations—it is literally fire when it ex- pands, and takes the name of culinary when it acts upon fuels. We have obferved, that it be- comes luminous by effufion, inftanced in its evaporation from the point of a metalic rod, and in the aurora-borealis, and in the tails of comets—that it becomes luminous by condenf- ation, inftancecl in glafs, ice and air; and that inafmuch as denfity refifts expanfion,* we have" * Were not tlm the enfe. that mural denfity refiHe-l ex- panG;;n, the h\o might expand, cr emit g! >hes of fpatks up- on his fyftem ; and by d^ftioying their, would be hJmftlf d«« ftr.-yed. ELECTRICITY. 37 every reafon to conclude, that the fun of our fyftem confifts of an incalculable condenfiition of eleclrical fire. We noticed the fimilarity of effect produced by the fun upon a comet and that of two electrified balls, in an electrical machine ; and that the greater body of fire governs the leffer. Having briefly ftated the powerful agency of this hidden effluvia, and confidered her various forms, ftates and effects ; let us now apply her laws, and fee to what they will amount in con- ftituting gravitation and motion, in our globe. Firft, Thefe principles will account for the currents and fluxes in the feas or oceans. Thefe currents are minutely defcribed by that ingenious philofopher De Saint Pierre. This great man, however, having never entered into this serial fyftem, afcribes this effufion from the poles to the thawing of the ices lim- ply : I doubt not but the thawing of the ices is neceffary to promote thefe currents ; but it is evident, from,the foregoing arguments, that air muft have the fame anti-elaftic effect pro- duced on it, in order to produce a general fufi- on fromeither of the poles towards the equator; and indeed, for certain purpofes, to be here- after defcribed, the Author of Nature has ap- pointed them a much longer tour. We will now fuppofe the fun to be paffing into the northern hemifphere; the confequence then is, that the action of her light upon the circumambient air and waters, which have, du- D jH ASTRONOMICAL ling our winter, been retarded in their mo- lion, in part congealed to ice, and totally fup- preffed, is again put in motion ; the inflexi- bility of tmVpcrvading effluvia is taken off by warmth ; the ices affume a liquid form ; the fame refiftance to motion, in the air, is remo* ved, and both elements pour profufely from the polar regions ; and this refiftance is di- minifhed more and more, until it reaches the zenith of the fun ; this point admits of the higheft ftate of rarifaction, and, confequently, forms the moft complete vacuum, or place of non-refiftance ; and to this vacuum, or fpace of leaft refiftance, the waters gravitate, as well as the air, freely. But, notwithftanding, the Zenith of the fun is the central point of gravi- tation to the waters ; yet from the amazing velocity of the motion of the waters from the northern regions, they are not ftayed, even in the centre of gravitation ; their impetuofity hurries them on a great diftance towards the fouth pole; and, as De Saint Pierre has very plainly fhewn, the Atlantic current doubles' the Cape of Good Hope, and forms a current along the coafts of India : the currents conti- nue till the autumnal equinox. The excefUve effufions from the north pole, during our fum* mer, is partly occafioned by enormous quan- tities of water, accumulated in the polar re- gions during our winter, and retained, on the principles of condenfation, before explained, in the ocean, bavs. lakes, &c. as well as in the ELECTRICITY. 39 air ; the exhalations from the waters, in Warm- er regions, are carried by foutherly currents of air, into colder regions, where they become condenfed, and remain until this denfity is re- moved by the warmth of the fun. Thefe enor- mous accumulations, when the refiftance to motion is taken off, pour in torrents towards the latitude which the fun then occupies; which is the centre of gravitation to this effu- fion : but as this accumulation is an over- balancing proportion of the liquid element, it exceeds the bounds of natural gravitation ; and its currents are experienced in all the fouthern regions, nearly to the fouth pole.* The currents that proceed from the fufion of the fouth pole, during our winter, likewife, force their currents nearly to the north pole, where their waters become condenfed, and ac- cumulated in great abundance. Thefe half- yearly accumulations, and half-yearly fufions, are of the moft effential utility ; and, indeed, without them, the oceans would become unin- habitable, or impaffible to mariners. The elements within the tropics would undergo fuch alternate rarifactions, as would induce * I canr.ot, here, undertake to tranferibe De Saint Pierre's detail of the genetal currents, counter currents and monfoons, from the lulf-ycarly fufions of the poles : his writings, from their fin^u'ar merit, it is hoped, will f>on be in the hands of the molt of people, who h;ve any tafte for ufeful informa- tion—for that knowledge, which muil make an atheift bluih for his ignorance ; and they, indirectly, confront the deilt with equal force. This author proves that defign which implies ii.fiuiLe i-.itelli^e'.ice, throughout all nature. 40 ASTRONOMICAL tornadoes, that would fweep the face of crea- tion, and fprcad devaftations throughout the tropical regions, at leaft. This we may be af- fured of, by reflecting for a moment on that wild diforder of the elements, which takes place when the fun arrives at the equinox, at which time the currents are flayed, and the waters, as well as the air, remain in the fame latitude ; the intenfenefs of heat, generated by means of the fun's light acting upon the fame portion of thefe elements, produces effects much to be dreaded ; tempeftuous winds, from time to time, raife the briny billows almoft to the clouds, and plunge navies in her bowels, or fweep the neighbouring ftrand, and lay whole cities proftrate in ruins. Some of the ancients fuppofed the torrid zone to be uninhabitable ; this muft have been the cafe, had not the all- wife Author of Nature, whofe fuperintend- ance appears more and more confpicuOus as we underftand nature, ordained thefe alter- nate currents, both in the liquid and airy ele- ment. Thefe currents, as I before obferved, not only diJufe a more general warmth over the face of the whole globe ; but they like- wife prevent that devaftation, which othcrwife would depopulate the moft charming part of the earth. Here then we fee, that motions in air and water are encreafed, in proportion as the in- flexibility of the ethereal fire is diminifhed ; and this is rilininifhcd in an exact proportion ELECTRICITY. <,» to the exifting degrees of warmth. Moreover, this latent h^at is promoted, more or lcfs, in proportion to the qualities of that body on which light is reflected, and according to the fmoothnefs of its furface and flatne'fs of its op- pofition to that body of light, acting upon it. This may be perceived, by holding a flat piece of metal nigh a fire-light, as pewter, or tin ; and if you oppofe your face or hand to the pewter or tin, while the light of the fire plays upon its furface, it will reflect a fenfible degree of warmth upon your face : * the metal muft be held obliquely to the fire (which, however, leffens the action of light) in order that you may approach it, without intercepting the light from the metallic fubrtance. But there are other bodies that reflect no fuch warmth. This is the refractive or rever- beratory power of light, and not culinary heat,, if I may ufe the term; for the metal will re- main cold, and may be held fo far from the fire, in a winter evening, that water fhall freeze at a leffer diftance. From thefe things we may learn, that the liquid element reflects the rays of the fun, more ftrongly than the earth ; that thefe refractive operations are ftiil, * From this produ&ion of warmth, is it not probable that a dwelling-room might be rendered fufficiently warm, for the winter, by fheathing, or lining the rcom with tin, and keep- ing up the bright light of a lamp m ita centre ? but perhaps it would be neceffary to exclude the light of the fun by windows, as contrary illuminations might prevent the regular s.ftian of either. D 42 ASTRONOMICAL greater when the waters are calm and fmooth : hence the alternation fo often from calm to tempeft ; and from tempeft, which diminifhcs the rarifaction, to calm. Let the fun be a world of culinary fire, if you will ; nothing but its light, produce any effect on this globe —its rays penetrate through millions of miles of eternal cold, and produces rarifactions, va- rious as thofe bodies on which they are re- flected. The fandy, defert plains of Africa, are more reverberatory than any other part of the earth, and the greateft rarifactions are produced there. It is from thefe different de- grees of rarifactions, that the currents of air are produced: thus it is that the currents of air are in fo much conformity to the currents of water. The monfoons in India, as well as in fome other places, are in conformity to the cur- rents of water, (their counter-currents except- ed ;) but the currents of air change fifteen or twenty days fooner than the currents of wa- ter; the elafticity of air, or its inflexibility, is reduced, and commences motion fo much fooner than the icy condenfations of the polar regions. The diminifhed ftates of rarifaction on the land, compared with that over the water, (fand plains excepted) fets bounds to the currents of air, in the fame manner as the land fets bounds to the currents of the waters ; though not with the fame degree of minute- nefs. Clouds, alfo,* intervening in particular parts of the hemifphere, may, and do, all over ELECTRICITY. 43 the globe, change the ftates of rarifaction, and of courfe, determine various fhifts of wind. It will be endlefs to trace all thefe viciffitudes of currents, and obferve their immediate cauf- es ; enough hath been advanced to explain the principles of the doctrine of motion, as it refpects air and water ; and it is undoubtedly poffible, by thefe principles, to account for every different current of air, by land or fea. But there is a current of air, called the Trade Wind, which blows acrofs the Atlantic Ocean, nearly from eaft to weft, along the equator, until it is intercepted by the mountains and lands of South America, where the rarifac- tions are diminifhed, and the current ceafes. This apparent current of air is induced by the velocity of the earth's motion at the equator; being of greater diameter there, than in any other part, confequently her motion is propor- tionally quicker ; add to this alio, that the elafticity or inflexibility of this latent fire, which, as I have before argued, gives all the power of motion to common air, is reduced, more or lefs, continually, at the equator: and it will appear, that this current is only appa- rently fuch ; juft as a man, riding full fpeed on horfeback, will experience a fenfation of being met by a current of air ; which, howe- ver, in a calm day, will fubfide as foon as he comes to a halt. But it may be afked, why is not this cur- renV.uniform in all parts of the equator, round 44 ASTRONOMICAL the globj? To which I anfwcr, there is not the fame continued degree of rarifaction horn cait to weft, in any other part of the equator, as from the Indian Ocean, acrofs the burning fands of Africa, and thence acrofsthe Atlantic Ocean, until you reach the mountains of South America. It appears to require a lengthy tract of rarifaction to confdtute this apparent current of air. Other circumftances may like- wife occur, to intercept this paflive ftate of * air. The equator is continued a great diftance on the Weftern Ocean; but obferve, thefe wa- ters continue quite to the fouth pole, and almoft to the north ; and the rarifactions become more extenfive and various. But the rarifac- tion which gives rife to the Atlantic current of air, called the Trade Winds, has its focus in the fandy plains of Africa, where the rari- faction is undoubtedly higher than in any part of the liquid element. And, although this current of air is not perceptible until you come fome diftance into the Atlantic Ocean, yet that will not prove that it has not its focus in thefe burning fands, where the heat is fo very intenfe, as to fire fome combuftibles. And it is likely it is rendered perceptible, finally, by imbibing the exhalations from the Atlantic, as it glides under it. Furthermore, the variation of foil, north and fouth of thefe oceans of fand, limits the extent of the rarifaction, and deter- mines it to be near the equator. Hence, the furface of the earth, at the equator, rolling ELECTRICITY. 45 with a velocity more than one thoufand miles in an hour, glides under this detached portion of air, till it is met by the mountains of South America, or its circumambient regions of denf- er air. Thefe appearances fubfide at the time of the vertical equinoxes; the currents in the waters then fubfide, and the rarifactions in the Atlantic become more intenfe and extenfive, which caufe various fhiftings in the currents ©f air, and terrible hurricanes ; and, as I be- fore obferved, would lay wafte the torrid zone, had not the all-wife Author of nature ordain- ed thefe polar effufions, which caufe fucceffive- ly new portions of air and water, except at the equinoxes, to receive the vertical flame of the fun ; which alfo keep up a more equal degree of warmth throughout the globe. Thefe new principles of gravitation and mo- tion will, if I miftake not, account for the diurnal rotation of our globe upon its axis. In treating of the polar effufions, we confider- ed the centre of their gravitation to be the vertical of the fun's zenith ; but from the overbearing of the torrents, from either of the poles, when in fufion, they break through all reftraints, and, to ferve a wife purpofe, fpread from one frigid zone to the other. But I fhall contend, notwithftanding, that the vertical point of the fun, in any part of the different oceans, is a central point of gravita- tion to the waters ; that this vertical flame ot the fun, forms the moft confummate non- 46 ASTRONOMICAL refilling vacuum; that the waters, in eternal fucceflion, gravitate from the two extremes of the polar regions, in a degree ; and, indeed, from an extenfive circle, to a vertical point with the fun : and that the gravitation of the waters to this non-refifting vacuum, gains a preponderating heft to the oppofite part of the globe ; and by this overbalancing weight, the motion of the globe is perpetuated on her axis. That the waters rife in this highly rarified vacuum, is certain ;—the volatile particles will even afcend from the furface, as high as the rarifaction is reflected, into the hemifphere. But what will render it ftill more certain, the evening tides, in the fame latitude with the fun's zenith, are always greater than the morning tides.* What can be the caufe of this ? Sir Ifaac Newton would anfwer, it is the centripetal force of the fun, or moon, or both, depreffing the waters, cauf- ing thern to fly off from this very point, of which 1 affirm they gravitate, and by this de- preffion on their bowels, as it were, they flow more forcibly upon their fhores.f But how * Thefe alterations in the fluxes of the oceans, De Sar-t Pierre afesibes to the half-daily effufions of the poles. With much deference to the opinion of a genius fo much fupericr to me, 1 muft take the liberty to afcu'be them to a differet t caufe. This great man feems to hr.ve comprehended eveiy thicgin nature, but the powers of this latent fhe ; whici muft have involved him in fome miftaki s— Lut he hath graced them well. f De Saint Pierre has fufficiently refuted the Newtonian ELECTRICITY. 41 doth it happen then, that this powerful depre£ fion doth not prevent the rifing of the volatile particles of water ? One would think that a power able to deprefs the very bowels of the ocean, would like wife prevent the afcending of a much feebler body. But the contrary of all this muft be true: the fun, as De St. Pierre, and others, will allow, pumps up lakes of the liquid element, in a volatile form. This effect alfo, is moft conipicuoufly produced in the ver- tical point of the fun. in this moft confpicuous non-refitting vacuum. The waters in this high- ly rarified vacuum, form a prominence in the vertical of the fun round the globe, where there are waters for the purpofe. Hence, as the fun retires, this prominence, or projection, maybe faid to commence a centrifugal motion, which motion will have a direct tendency to increafe the flood on the fhores. This is all that can be called centrifugal; and it proceeds from a caufe, and in a manner entirely different to what the Newtonian fyftem teaches.^ Now as the waters gravitate to this vacuum only, while the fun is in the horizon,* (for the ccntifugal and centripetal f_-hem.es; and has demonftrateJ tSem to be as erroneous, as they are ufelefs, In apprehending the laws of nature. * la the horizon, Ac. The full rmon, according to the degree of htr light, rarities and diminiflies elaftic compref- fion ; aod bei lg oppofite the fun, the fecondary flux of th- fun is augmented thereby. This gravitation of waters to the vertical flame of the fun, has been miftaken for a fixed pro- jection of the globe at the cqnator. All that is centripetal— 48 ASTRONOMICAL fecond flux is an effect of the firft) there is lefs exertion made towards the fhores in the mor- ning; and the tides are known to be lefs than the evening tides, in the fame latitude. But thefe ftatements fuppofe the fun to be in the northern hemifphere; for when the fun is in the fouthern hemifphere, the focus of the tides is more remote, and the higheft tides will be in the morning, in the northern hemifphere; for more time is required for the fame caufe to fend its effect in the ocean to fo much great- er diftance. But if the tides had their focus in the polar fufions, the tides would ceafe when the fun comes to the equator; for the fufion of both poles ceafe at this time, or are in equi- librio, or totally filenced, and the currents of either are at an end for a time; but it is cer- tain that the tides do not ceafe to ebb and flow during the equinoxes: hence, I think our lateft and greateft philofopher afcribed them to an improper origin; but he had a very plaufible appearance of truth on his fide. The retarda- tion of the tides may be afcribed to the contin- ual variation of their focus, both in latitude and longitude; but it will exceed my fcanty limits to enter into a detail of fo many particu- lars as are fuggefted to my mind on the occa- fion. I have even forborne to notice in the text the effect produced by the light of a full moqn, te the elaftic coropreffion of ethereal fire, in the abfence of the fun ; and this caufea a kind of centrifugal motion, or flood, upon the fhores. ELECTRICITY. 49 whofe light, according to its degree, rarifies and promotes non-refiftance, as well as the fun. It is time to haften to my next and laft ar- gument, to prove that the fun's light gravi- tates under its vertical flame, a preponderating weight of waters, that caufe and perpetuate the diurnal rotation of the earth upon her ax- is. The evidence I fhall now bring forward, will put the truth of my thefis beyond contro- verfy; it is this: the motion of the earth is quickened, when the fun paffes from the equa- tor into the fouthern hemifphere. The caufe of this acceleration of the earth's motion, is obvi- ous and rational, upon my new principles, as well as her nigher approach to the fun at the fame time, and from the fame caufe. It is well known to all who have looked into the maps of the globe, that the greateft part by far of the eaftern and weftern continents lie north of the equator; and as this preponderating weight is formed only in the waters, the motion muft be leffened in proportion as the quantity of land is encreafed in the latitude of the fun.* Hence, then, as the quantity of land is diminifhed in the fouthern hemifphere, the rarifaction upon the waters is more uniform and uninterrupted round the globe, and the preponderating weight * This new doctrine muft ftrike one ftumbling (lone out of the way of atheifts, who could never reconcile this wafte of waters (as they call it) to the exiftence of an all-wife Creator. It is certain there is but juft enough of water, to anfwer the purpofe of neceffary motion in the globe. E jo ASTRONOMICAL of the waters is more fteadily kept up, than in the northern hemifphere; and the confe- quence is, that which we yearly experience, the motion of the earth is accelerated, five or fix days, when the fun is in the fouthern hem- ifphere, where the waters are more generally fpread round the globe. For the firft time, then, this phenomenon is explained and ren- dered familiar; but on no other principle ever fuggefted, could this variation be account* ed for. It has been fuppofed that it was owing to its nigher approach to the fun, that its mo- tion was quickened; but we fhould rather fay, the nigher approach of the earth to the fun during our winter, in the northern hemifphere, is owing to an increafed degree of rarifaction in the fouthern waters, which not only quick- ens the motions of the earth in her orbit, but alfo caufes a more powerful gravitation of the earth towards the fun. But if all this is not fufflcient to fupport my doctrine of gravitation and motion, I will add another inconteftible evidence in fupport of it; and that fhall be drawn from the confideration of the inequality of the earth's motion upon her axis, which caufes the fun to be, apparent- ly, fometimes faft of clock, and fometimes flow of clock. If we examine into this cafe, we find that when the fun, as we call it, gains of the clock, it is becaufe the quantity of waters are encreaf- ed under the fun, and the motion of the earth ELECTRICITY. 51 is quickened; or when the fun grows flow of the clock, it is becaufe the quantity of land, in which no motion is induced, is encreafed un- der the fun. Any man may difcover the truth of this, by comparing the calculations in the almanack, of the variations of the fun with the clock; and having a map of the globe be- fore him, he will perceive that as the fun re- cedes from his greateft fouthern declination, or tropic of Capricorn, which lies over the points of the eaftern and weftern continents, where the waters are moft generally formed round the globe, and refiftance to motion is moft di- minifhed of any part of the globe; that as the fun approaches the equator, the two continents, but especially South America, encreafes in width towards the equator, and the confe- quence is, that the motion of the earth is di- minifhed upon her axis; and the fun, as by cal- culation appears, grows flow of clock from the latter part of December, which is the time of the fun's leaving the tropic of Capricorn, until the rarifaction paffes northerly of the greateft eafterly and wefterly projections of South A- merica, to the ifthmus of Darien, where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans are feparated by a ftrip of land only fixty miles wide, and then the preponderating weight of waters is again encreafed in the vertical flame of the fun, as be- fore defcribed, the motion of the earth is again accelerated, and the fun gains of the clock from the latter part of February, until it has paffed ASTRONOMICAL north of the equator fome diftance, and the continent of Africa is projected far weft into the Atlantic ocean, and counter-balances the narrownefs of the ifthmus of Daricn; and the variation of the fun with the clock is very lit- tle for feveral months, that is, until the fun ap- proaches again near to the autumnal equinox, when the motion of the earth is again quick- ened upon her axis, and the fun gains fixteen minutes of the clock, by the laft of October; after which, the rotation or motion of the globe is again impeded by the intervention of the widely extended land of South America; but this is of fhort continuance; becaufe, as the fun partes from the equator towards the tropic of Capricorn, the two continents, but efpecially South America, diminifh rapidly in width; and the rotation of the earth upon her axis is quickened fixteen minutes from the 7th of No- vember until the 24th of December. But we may obferve, that this acceleration of the earth's diurnal rotation upon her axis, is always later than the caufe that produces it; and alfo, that it will be continued in full effect fome time af- ter the caufe that produced it, has evidently de- clined its power. It fhould be further obferved, that notwith- funding the great encreafe of waters in the fouthern hemifphere, efpecially when the fun is at the tropic of Capricorn, the rotation of the earth upon her axis is not quickened in pro- portion to the encreafe of waters round the. ELECTRICITY. globe, the caufe of which is very obvious : the gravitation of water to the vertical flame of the fun, although it is greatly encreafed all round the globe, or nearly fo; yet it is formed at a leffer diftance from the axis of the earth than that which is formed at the equator, and con- fequently has lefs power of promoting the ro- tation of the earth upon her axis. We may make the idea very familiar, by fuppofing i wheel, fufpended upon a fhaft, or axletrce, to be put into a circular motion by placing a weight upon one of the fpokes of the wheel: we readily know that the nigher the axletree or centre of the wheel the weight is placed, the lefs will be its power of inducing motion in the wheel, Sec.— Thus it is with refpect to the diurnal rotation of the earth; a greater prepon- derancy of waters is formed towards the tro- pic of Capricorn, in the Southern Ocean; but they are formed at a lefs diftance from the ax- is of the earth, and cannot induce that veloci- ty of motion which the fame quantity of wa- ters would do, were they formed or projected by the vertical flame of the fun at the equator, where they would be at a much greater dif- tance from the centre, or axis of the earth— This laft circumftance is fo obvioufly true and plain to the weakeft capacity, I think it muft be admitted as conclufive of my doctrine of gravitation and motion. It is very probable that if this globe was all water, or all a tranfparent fand-ball, it would £ 54 ASTRONOMICAL gravitate entirely to the fun, or till it fhould come within reach of the rcpuliive force of the fun, which might alfo coniiitute this globe a comet. For as the reverberating rays of the fun induce latent heat, more or lefs, according to the quality of that matter on which it is re- flected; fo is the force of gravitation determin- ed in that body of matter towards the fun— But it is impoffible for any globe of matter to fall into, or unto the fun; for the refiftance of the fun muft be in proportion to that infinite or incalculable degree of condensation of ethe- real fire, which gives being to his inacceffible light; which condensation refills the approach of matter, at certain diftances, with a force al- mighty. Hence the amazing velocity with which a comet approaches the fun, forces itfelf upon this refilling power, as upon the elaftici- ty of a yielding bow, to a certain degree, at which degree the power of elaftic refiftance, like the bow fprung upon the arrow, induces the retrograde motion, and the comet is fhot out into fpace incomprehenfible. And it may be further obferved, that the power of gravi- tation will reach the comet at a greater diftance than it will fome other bodies, and caufe it a- gain to gravitate towards the fun, in one eter- nal round of attraction and repulfion: and thus the laws by which comets are governed are dif- fimilar to thofe laws that govern other bodies; and this diflimilarity originates in the quality of their own fubftances. ELECTRICITY. 55 From the foregoing doctrine of gravitation and motion, we may alfo account for the eclip- tic motion of the earth in her orbit. This I fhall confider to be induced partly by the alternate rarifactions of the fouthern and northern hem- ifpheres, and partly by the turning of the two polar regions alternately to the fun, by that rarifaction. Either of thefe motions would be fuflicient to defcribe the ecliptic; but if only one of them was fuppofed to be the whole caufe, the period, it would feem, might arrive, when this motion would ceafe, and fix the fun in the equinox. We will fuppofe the fun in the fouth- ern hemifphere, by which means the rarifac- tion round the tdobe is more towards the fouth pole than the north; the confequence will be, that refiftance is diminifhed towards the foui.h pole, while at the fame time denfation and elaftic refiftance and compreffion are encreafing upon the northern hemifphere: thefe united circumftances muft have a tendency to gravi- tate the earth towards the fouth pole. Again, as this gravitation proceeds foutherly, it brings the fun towards the equator, and its rays be- gin to reach the northern hemifphere and weak- en the elaftic compreffive force of the northern regions, at the fame time as the fun's rays leave the fouthern pole. Refiftance to the fouthern declenfion is made by an encreafe of condenf- ation, which is an elaftic oppofition to the pro- grefs of the earth's gravitation foutherly, till by flow degrees her foutherly motion totally 56 ASTRONOMICAL ceafes. And, as it was obferved of the fun's oppofition and repulfion of a comet, juft fo we may conclude the fouthern hemifphere operates upon the fouth pole of the earth; her motion is flayed by flow degrees, which alio caufes, at thefe periods, fuch little variation of time for feveral days, until the refiftance in the fouth- ern hemifphere is fuflicient to repel the earth into a retrograde motion towards the north. This retrograde motion is facilitated by the ac tion of the fun's light upon the northern hem- ifphere, which in its turn is reduced to a non- relifting vacuum, or nearly fo. Hence her northern declenfion proceeds on the fame prin- ciples as her fouthern, juft defcribed, and ter- minates in the fame manner. But, as I fug. gefted before, thefe motions might leffen by degrees, and leave the fun fixed at the equator; and, as D. St. Pierre obferves, fet the world on fire: but if we take into confideration the oth- er motion of the earth, viz. the alternate pre- fenting of her poles to the fun, by the alter- r.ate rarifactions of the two hemifpheres, we fhall fee, that thefe motions not commencing exactly together, there can no time arrive, when both will be fufpended at once; and the confequence will ever be, that thefe motions will not ceafe, unlefs the Author of nature counteracts their caufe. 1 would be underftood that of the two motions defcribed,the retrograde motion from either of the poles is prior to that from the fun. And we might, perhaps, add, ELECTRICITY. 57 the inequality of the polar gravitations to the fun, may be another caufe of the eternal uni- formity of thefe motions. Let us try thefe principles once more, and apply them to the annual rotation of the earth round the fun ; and if they will appear to in- duce this motion, we fliall have completed our prefent talk, and, indeed, more than I expect- ed leifure to attend to. We have already eftablifhed the principles of gravitation, and fhewn them to be confti- tuted in non-refiftance, (not magnetical attrac- tion;) that this non-refiftance to motion or gravitation is induced by warmth, and that this warmth is generated by the fun's light. We noticed, further, that as this warmth, or rarifaction, was encreafed while the fun was in the fouthern hemifphere, where the waters were more extenfive; that the earth approach- ed nigher the fun than when the fun was in the northern hemifphere, when the rarifaction was excited in a lefs degree, by reafon of a di- minifhed quantity of water: by all which it is evident I am not miftaken in regard of the true principle of gravitation. From the diurnal ro. tation of the earth upon her axis, there is a va- riation,even iq the fun's latitude, of the degrees of rar ifaction: thus the vertical point of the fun is the higheft poffible degree; and this degree, it may be obferved, is fubject to the leaft den- fation and compreffion of any. Neverthelefs, this very latitude becomes more or lefs compreff* 58 ASTRONOMICAL ed, in proportion to the length of time it is ab- fent from the fun. The fame holds true of all the intermediate degrees of rarifaction, north and fouth of the fun's zenith, to thofe regions where rarifaction is in no degree induced. Now as the earth rolls eaft, we will fuppofe that the part of the globe which undergoes daily rarifac- tions,and at the fame time is fubject to nocturnal compreflions, muft be that part which is about from forty-five to ninety degrees below the weftern horizon, the fun fuppofed to be in the meridian with us; the force of this compreffion would impel the globe forty-five degrees above the horizon eafterly: thus the part oppofite the fun, is the fpace of the higheft rarifaction, and caufes the earth to gravitate directly towards the fun: next, the part that laft paffed from the vertical flame of the fun, is fufticiently rarified to yield to the wefterly compreffion, and is, by this compreffion, impelled inceffantly in this immenfe circle it makes through the heav- ens. We have, fo far, marked the outlines of our new aerial fyftem of gravitation and motion; and applied it to our inhabited globe. It muft now be fubmitted to the reader to determine its merits, if any there be, and make up his judgment on the whole. It is prefumed, how- ever, that, notwithftanding that ftudied brevi- ty and fcarcity of proof unavoidable in the fcan- ty limits prefcribed, the candid reader will con- fefs the fubject is fairly treated—the evidence ELECTRICITY. $$ pertinent; and that the principles of gravita- tion and motion do appear to be founded in the various properties, ftates and effects of the ethereal fire: that the doctrine, in all its parts, harmonizes, and moft aptly applies'to the ro- tations and motions of our globe; and, finally, that this concife fyftem of principles is confpi- cuoufly calculated, not only to expofe the vain attempts of many to explain thefe myfteries of nature upon principles foreign to the fubject; but they may alfo ferve as a leading clue to fur- ther improvements and difcoveries in the fub- jects of philofophical and astronomical electri- city. It is undoubtedly true, that there is now o- pened to view an immenfe field for enquiry and investigation. All the wits and stratagems of philofophers and academicians, to fubftitute a fyftem of principles whereby to explain the laws of gravitation and motion, are abfolutely abor- tive. They have forever miffed the criterion, the hinge, on which the Author of nature has fufpended them altogether. How muft the af- piring genius be now rallied into a contempla- tion of this hidden power in nature, which has mocked all the refearches of the wife andjearn- ed, efcaped the piercing eye of a Newton, and flood aloof to the capacious foul of De Saint Pierre; refufing to reveal herfelf to the wife and learned, hath finally made herfelf known to a babe, in comparifon with others. Wake, then, ye Franklins! and, like your 60 ASTRONOMICAL predeceffor, keep to the point. Unfettered, high-born republicans! unawcd by the ccnfure of critics, the puffs of coxcombs, or the fcur- rility of academicians, lay hold on the oppor- tunity prefented for communicating i new and complete fyftem, whereby you will be able to explain all the myfteries of planetary and com- etary aftronomy: claim it as your native right. Franklin's fhade beckons your attention to the fubject: he led the van to the high improve- ment; but bequeathed the immortal honour of its completion to his countrymen. The feeb- left of you all has ventured, according to a common faying, to break the ice; but the fub- ject is in embryo. More experiments, more enquiry and application, are neceffary to com- plete the fyftem, and apply it generally to the fyftems of nature. My province is limited to the investigation of medical electricity; and I fhall, after a few more remarks, fubmit the in- vestigation of philofophical and astronomical* electricity to my fuperiors. From all the broken hints and fcattered lights I have endeavoured to reflect on this new and intricate fubject, it will appear fufficiently evi- dent, that the great Architect of the Univerfe hath poifed the whole conglomerated clufter of funs and fyftems upon this fingle, latent, myf- * The term, aftronomical, Sec. eliftricity, I have ventured to adopt, as it appears peculiarly applicable to my fyftem It appears evident, that henceforth planetary aftronomy, as well 68 cometary, muft neceffari'y involve the ftudy of ele&ricity. ELECTRICITY. 6 k terious agent, called electricity, or ethereal fire: that by one form of it, all the other elements are locked as in eternal ice; by another, they are again liberated and put in motion: by one form of it, a tour of flight is prepared; and by another, they are impelled to purfue that paffage: by one form of it, they prefs towards a centre; and by another, they are compreffed or repelled from that centre. But there is alfo a difference in the effect, depending on the qual- ity of the matter acted upon; otherwife our whole fyftem would be at an equal diftance from the fun, or would all commence comets: For the diftance of every planet from its refpec- tive fun, is determined by the degree of rari- faction which the fun induces Upon its furface; and I have clearly fhewn, that the degree of rarifaction is determined by the quality of that matter the fun's light is reflected upon. Alfo, the velocity of motion in each planet, is deter- mined by the degrees of rarifaction promoted on its furface. We have reafon to believe, that all globes are compofed of folids and fluids, as well as our own. It is very certain the moon is of a ifimilar compofition. An extenfive liquid ele- ment is neceffary to induce rotation on the axis; and this is neceffary to constitute an an- nual rotation round the fun: For in our globe, the annual rotation has its origin in the diur- nal; and, without much knowledge of plane- tary aftronomy, I venture to affirm, from a 62 ASTRONOMICAL conviction of the truth of my fyftem, that there" is an exact correfpondency between the differ- ent rotations of the planetary fyftems, reflect- ing their velocity. What fhall we think now of the doctrine of our fchools of philofophy? They have taught us to believe the fun is a globe of culinary fire—' a furnace, like that of Nebuchadnezzar's con- struction. Was that the cafe, it would form an infinite fpace of non-refiftance,and its whole fyf- tem would gravitate to it, and be confumed. Moreover, if it was elementary fire expanded, it would need fuel to fupport the flame. This our philofophers well enough conceived of; and in the diforder of their theory, they tumbled com- ets, one after another, into his bowels, to perpe- tuate this imaginary kind of hell to creation, for fuch it muft prove. At another time, they have made thefe comets the main tranfports to,con- vey the fources of animation and life from funs to their refpective fyftems: but, alas! what kind of funs fupply this nutrition? Flaming volca- noes—^millions of iEtnas united! We might think, were thefe comets of fo much utility as tranfports, we might as well lofe the fun, as lofe them. But when the foundation of any theory is falfe, the Whole fuperftructure will be of the fame texture. The notion of a comet being heated, at its perihelion, two thoufand times hotter than red-hot iron, is no lefs abfurd and erroneous. There is no doubt but that a degree of warmth is oreferved in the comet, at ELECTRICITY. 63 its perihelion; but we cannot admit the idea of fuch amazing viciflitudes, efpecially if we fuppofe them to be the habitations of beings: Let us rather fuppofe, that as the comet ap« proaches the fun, and comes within his repel- ling force, the circumambient ethereal fire of the comet is repelled from its front, which we know is the cafe; and, confequently, that the action of the fun's light is lefs refractive, or re- verberatory, and induces leffer degrees of heat, in proportion as the vehicle of light is dimin- ifhed. Moreover, it is certain, that if the com- et was no hotter than we can heat iron in a furnace, we fhould not fee that luminous tail, oppofite the fun : Was fuch a heat to pervade the comet, the rarifaction would extend all round the comet. But this luminous appear- ance muft arife from the effufion of ethereal fire, and muft have for its focus a denfity in proportion to the effufion : the focus is ftill in the part of the comet oppofite the fun. Again, did not darknefs pervade the part of the comet oppofite the fun, we fhould not be able to dif- cqver this fufion, no more than we can difco- ver the fufions of the ethereal fire from the po- lar regions, called the aurora-borealis, in the day time. But how can we fuppofe the comet thus heated, and at the fame time not illumine the regions all around it, and fo deftroy this denfity, which is known by the degrees of ex- ifting cold, or, by its light, prevent our beins* able to difcovcr the illumination of its fufioni 64 ASTRONOMICAL Finally, we muft conclude that there is a coun- terpoizing power, whether we can account for it or not, that apportions means to their ends, and harmonizes all the works, laws and move- ments of nature. But admitting the comet is heated two thoufand times hotter than red-hot iron, our philofophers might blufh when they tell us of florins of hail, fnow, &c. in the at- mofphere of fuch a comet. There are many more points of view in which I fhould confider the caufe, the power and ef- fect of this fubtile effluvia. I would fhew that the motion of the earth upon her axis, was one caufe of the aurora-borealis; and the fucking of wind from a warmer region, conveyed this friction into the horizon—the caufe of its not afcending fo high in the fummer of the north- ern hemifphere, as in the winter. I would further fhew, that the exifting degree of cold was a proof of, and the criterion by which you may know the prefent denfity of the ethereal fire.—I would prove it by the corufcations that may be induced, by ftroking your hand upon the hair of fome animals, in a very cold day— by corufcations that have fometimes alarmed people, when putting off woolen or flannel t^rloathing in a fevere cold night. But I muft P^wave ali farther notice thereof, until I have y\A-,r^ Ieiiure, and a more favourable opportu- nity of doing juftice to a fubject of fo much uitrkucy. ELECTRICITY. 65 We v. ill, reader, if you pleafe, make one ufe of the foregoing docl rine. Under the enlarged view in which we have confidered ethereal fire, it appears, as it were, almoft the Deity of na- ture. Was it not a myfterious inftinct, that hath led fo many of the untutored tribes of the earth, to pay divine honours to the fun, and even to fire, in fome inilanccs, as being of the fame fpecies? The fun appears to be, in the nat- ural world, what God is in the fpiritual; there feems to be a striking analogy exifting between the natural and fpiritual world- The celebra- ted founder of the Moravian Church, laboured fuccefsfully to illuftrate this. Indeed, that tea- cher who caine from God, taught the doctrine of the fpiritual kingdom, by fimilitudes bor- rowed from the natural world. We have, in the fubfequent pages, confidered the fun as the consummation and infinite fountain of ethere- al fire; that his very prefence gives law to his whole fyftem: what a figure this, of its Divine Author! the glory of whofe prefence, executes all his will; fo we read, Exodus xiv. 6, 24. " The Lord looked upon thehofi of the Egyptians, through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the hoji of the Egyptians" The prefence of the natural fun produceth different effects, accord- ing to the quality of the body prefent; fo is the fpiritual Sun: His prefence is a fource of eternal tratffport to the moral foul; but to the immoral, "devouring fire and everlafling burn- ing" Again, there is a participation of the F 65 ELECTRICITY fame element as the natural fun diffufed through all the natural world, by which means they are all fubjected to his laws—are of animals and ve- getables fuccoured, nourifhed and prefcrved in life; fo it is with refpect to the fpiritual Sun, wherever there is a participation of the fame nature of the fpiritual Sun, throughout all mor- al intelligences, the prefence of the fpiritual Sun imparts fpiritual nutrition, increafe of grace and joy in God. This is the Father's cultiva- tion of the branches in Christ; "I will mani- feft myfelf unto you;"—"if I depart, I will fend you the comforter;" I will not leave you comfortlefs. As if he had faid, have I taken care of the naturil world, that the fun of na- ture fhould not ceafe to beftow its enlivening prefence upon all the animate world that live by a participation of the fame element; and will I deny the joys of my prefence to thofe who, by the fame spirit, are become one with me; no,." ye fhall be loved of my Father, and I will love"—"we come unto you, and make our abode with you." But there is a gloomy difparity prefented to our view, between the natural and fpiritual world; there is no exception to this participa- tion of the element of the natural fun, through- out the whole family of animals and vegeta- bles; they all live by this participation, and are all nourifhed by the prefence of the natural fun: but not fo in the fpiritual world, or among the whole family of moral intelligences^ for we ex* SPIRITUALIZED. 67 pcriencc daily what we read; "The fool hath faid in his heart, there is no God;" no Sun of the fpiritual world; fo grofs is his darknefs. "They defire not the knowledge of God," there is no fpiritual Sun for them. "Ye have both feen and hated, both me and my Father;" the fpiritual Sun is offenfive to thefe. But I need not enumerate paflages; thefe are fufticient to fhew, that the natural world preaches the doc- trine of man's depravity, and teftifies in behalf of its Divine Author, that "a man rauft be born again before he can fee, (can fee—a remarka- ble expreffion) the kingdom of God." As if he had faid, there is no life, no animation in the natural world, but by a participation of that ethereal fire, which conftitutes the fun of nature; and by which participation alfo, the fun of nature becomes a quickening power in the fubject of that participation ; fo it is in the fpiritual world, "except a man be born again, or except ye be baptifed with the Holy Ghoft and with fire (fee the analogy) ye cannot fee the kingdom of God;" ye can have no poffible conception, not the fainteft idea of the glory of the fpiritual Sun; he is feen only by a partici- pation of his likenefs; hence our dear Redeem- er affirms this important truth as it were by an oath, "Verily, verily I fay unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God." I think we have found one text in the volume of nature, that ftrongly teftifies the feme important truth: So God and nature are 68 ELECTRICITY not at variance. And we may add, it was meet the fun of nature fljould put on the fable mantle, when the fpiritual Sun agonized on the crfis. From a confederation of the exquifite powers, which the Author of nature hath inverted in this ethereal fire, we may be naturally led to expect, at leaft, that there may be fome exten- five ufe made of it as a remedy of difeafes in the human body. The various modes in which it may be adapted to our ufe, the velocity of its motion, the finenefs of its particles, the purc- nefs of its nature, the immenfe number of ef- fects it produceth, the harmleflnefs of every ef- fect, when carefully applied, would fuggeft to us, the propriety of an extenfive experiment, and the probability of great fuccefs. Can we fuppofe that nature hath endowed this element v/ith fo many aftonifhing powers, that all cre- ation is nourifhed and fupported by it, and that none of thefe inverted powers can be made ufe of in curing difeafes—that we muft look for no aid in this refpect, but from the fugi- tives of nature? or is this the interdicted fruit, and all mankind filially obfequious of late? or do we, as the Jews in another cafe, judge our- felves unworthy of the blefling? or are we dif- gufted at the allegorical allufion it bears to the fpiritual world, to baptifmal fire, that fanctifies the foul from fpiritual difeafe; that we will notv by terreftrial fire, purge the body from its dif- eafes? I will here confefs, that I believe the Millennium is at the door; and that this eths- SPIRITUALIZED. 69 real fire will be as confpicuous a mean of pu- rifying the body from difeafe in that day, as the fire of the fpiritual kingdom will be, in pu- rifying the fouls of men; and that the publica- tion of this medical treatife, is not without the intention of Heaven. I fhall then, in good confcience, and in obe- dience to God, and love to my fellow-creatures, prelent them with a fyftem of principles, and of practical rules, in a plain, familiar manner, whereby any man of common ingenuity may have a full understanding of the nature, prop- erties and effects of this powerful remedy of difeafe, and be informed in what manner he muft apply it in all cafes. 70 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY CHAPTER II. Of the conductors of the fhock in the human body—. An exceffive aclion of the fhock defcribed—A moderate aclion an infallible cure of fever and inflammation—A weak aclion peculiar to cafes of debility—'Of infolation, its aclion a direclftitth ulus—Proper modet of ufing it, &c. Of the Conductors. TO understand the manner in which the electric fhock is conducted through the human body, is a matter of no small import- ance to a thorough investigation of the fubject of medical electricity. To know whether it is conducted by the bones, mufcles, fluids, or all three, is a matter of enquiry, and demands our firft attention, that we may know, in general, what effect the fhocks are likely to produce in the body. Thofe who have been acquainted with elec- trical machines, muft neceffarily know that there is a great difparity in the aptnefs of fome conductors, compared with others; and that the fhock will incline altogether to that con. ductor which is the moft apt or fuitable. Thus—ift. quality, metalic fubftances. 2d.-------water, blood or liquids, gd.-------animal bodies. 4th. -------green wood. 5th.-------drywood,earthandthc!ike. INVESTIGATED. 71 Let all thefe different conductors beprefented ?.t once to convey an electric fhock, and the moft fuitable, viz. the metal, will receive and convey th»; whole, or nearly the whole quanti- ty or charge contained in the receiver. Again, if you remove the metallic conveyance, and pafs the fhock as before, it will fall upon, and be conducted by the pure liquid element; if you re* move thcpure liquid element,and pafs the fhock it will fall on the human body, remove the human body, &c. and the fhock will pafs on the green wood; and lastly, it will pafs, though very imperfectly, upon dry wood, dry earth, and many other the like fubftances; but the action could not be perceived in the human body, when thefe deficient conductors form any part of the conveyance with the human body, admitting the quantity is not exceflive* I have placed the human body below pure fluids, and for this obvious reafon; there is a fcantinefs of fluids on the furface, efpecially at times, which impedes the motion or force of the fhock, and this impediment would be fuf* ficient to turn its flight upon pure fluids, to which it has free accefs. Let thefe reafonings be applied to the human body, and we fhall difcover at once, that the fluids afe the principal conductors of the elec- tric fhock; and as the blood makes the greater part, the blood doth confequently receive and convey the fhock through the body. 72 Medical electricity An excefjlve aclion of the fhock defcribed. To illuftrate and render familiar the action 6f this elmentary fire in parting an animal body, or the Invariable effects produced hereby, we fhall'be affifted by obferving the effects produ- ced by an over-action thereof. Dr. Franklin's experiments having put it beyond all doubt, with thofe who have any information on the fubject, that this elementary fire, which we call lightning, is to a demonftration the fame in quality, and in the effects it produceth, as that fire promoted by the artificial machinery,* my talk is rendered the lighter. This being grant- cd, we will dravV all the information from this fource that can be obtained at prefent, to affift in our enquiry. When a perfon is flain by this over-action of the fhock, I fuppofe it may be laid that they die of total atony and laxity; thai is, the diftenfive force of the fhock hath def- troyed every degree of tone and tenfion thro'- out the vafcular fyftem. The expanding, di£ tending properties of this ethereal fire, are ca- pable of performing this without rupturing the veffels. But its power of swelling the diame- ters of the veffels is fo confpicuous, that it is found, by diffection, that the veffels are fre- quently ruptured in thofe who have received a large quantity from a thunder-cloud. This ciri Cumftance of the veffels being burft or ruptur- fed* is the leading clue, by which it is eafy td Vide chap. 4, p. 216, *ij,. INVESTIGATED. 73 difcover, not only that the blood conducts the effluvia through the fyftem, but alfo that very peculiar effect of the fhock upon the veffels, which, if tempered by art, may be conducive of the moft happy confequences: For it is in- controvertible, that if an exceffive quantity of electricity is capable of reducing tone and tenfion, in an inftant, to that degree of laxity which terminates in inftant death, to filence at a touch, viz. by a violent diftenfion, the whole vafcular fyftem, that they cannot em- brace the fluids any more than an artificial tube; it follows, that was this power tempo- rized by art, administered in form and quan- tity, fuited to the exigency of any encreafed degree of morbid tenfion, as in a fever, or in- flammation of any kind, it muft be adequate to the tafk of reducing that fuppofed tenfion, at the leifure of the electrician. Another effect produced by this exceffive action, is very confpicuous, and deferves our attention. This is the effect produced on the pores : this element paffing in great profufion through the body, filling every part, blows open the pores, in an exceffive degree, when the quantity 'received into the fyftem is ex- ceffive. It is undoubtedly true, that if a perfon's cloaths are dry, the whole body of fire is con- ducted through the fyftem by the fluids ; notwithftanding, this effluvia preffes towards the furface, and through the pores, with fuch G 74 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY violence, that any covering upon the body that is not sufficiently porus, is fractured, or blown entirely from them : this is the cafe with fhoes and boots, through which the paf- fage is not fufticiently free ; but it perfpires linen or woollen fo freely, that they are feldom or never fractured. Thus it perfpires the whole body of mufcles (the blood-veffcls ex* cepted) fo freely, that they never appear to be wounded, unlefs in fome very extraordinary cafe. But the veffels, which contain the con- ductors, upon which this expanding,diftending element falls with great freedom, will be fre- r quently ruptured, or burft. My reader will pleafe to excufe me, in no* ticing any occurrence that may reflect light on this intricate fubject. It occurs to my mind, that one or two respectable men, who have tanned the hides of animals which have been {lain by the over-action of this ethereal fire, from the cloud, told me, their fkins would not make firm, impervious leather; the pores in the1 fkin were fo expanded, dilated or enlarged, that the aftringency of the bark was not sufficient to render it equally firm with other leather. The diftending, expanding, dilating proper- Vies of this powerful agent are vifible in its ef- fects every where upon inanimate fubftances : thefe I fhall leave to the reflections of my read- er ; and »fliall draw a fecond inference from this over-action of electricity on animal bodies. What naturally refults from the before re- INVESTIGATED. J$ cited facts is very obvious—needs hardly any comment. Any man of the leaft difcernment muft difcover at once, that this is an agent againft a checked perfpiration ; that if admin- iftered in due degree, by the artificial machine- ry, muft be of inestimable ufefulnefs in fevers, inflammations, peripneumonies, pleurifies, St. Anthony's fire, and in fome kinds of dropfies, &c. &c. That when we compare its effects on the veffels, and in promoting perfpiration, we have reafon to believe that mankind will foon derive fome important relief from dif- eafe, by a judicious application of this fubtile effluvia. A due proportion, an infallible cure for fever and inflammation, I know of no fever without tenfion and re- tenfion; in fhort, this is what conftitutes a fever, and to remove thefe is to cure a fever. This, I believe, will be readily granted, by any one who has a knowledge of the nature of fever. It amounts to a certainty with me, that if an exceffive action produces the ef- fects defcribed under the laft head, which I think no one will deny, we have juft now dif- covered a medicine of the laft importance to mankind—a fure, a fafe and an eafy remedy for the moft dangerous, painful and moft fatal of difeafes, and which have been but very imperfectly refitted by the beft medical aid hi- therto afforded. Electricity produccth that 76* MEDICAL ELECTRICITY very lingular effect, juft that which is wanted to remove fever, and for which innumerable means have been ufed to little or no good purpofe. Indeed, the cure of a fever, by any other means, is exceedingly embarraffed ; hence the beft medical aid generally afforded, goes no further than to make fome neceffary evacua- tions, &c. Something like a mariner, who ufes all his fkill to navigate his veffel in a tem- peft, which he cannot run into a fafe harbour. When we look into the nature of fever, and obferve the retenfion of the perfpirable vapour, the tenfion of the veffels, the diminifhed ftate of their diameters, the violence with which they embrace their fluids, their encreafed la- borious action, phyficians are fometimes in- duced to tap a vein, to leffen the quantity of fluid : this will give a temporary relief, and it is but temporary; the pores are yet clofed; the fever heat cannot be abated, unlefs a dia- phorefis is induced; the retained heat will bring down, in a fhort fpace, the diameters of the veffels, to embrace the diminifhed quantity of blood with equal violence, and all the fymp- toms of diftrefs will be renewed. If we con- traft the ufe of letting blood in this ftate of the fyftem, with the electric fhock, confidering the effects produced thereby, we fliall difcover an infinite difparity in the two, a vast difpro- portion as to the aptness and fuitablenefs of the one compared with the other. The dimin- INVESTIGATED. 77 Hiring the quantity of fluids is, at beft, but a temporary abatement of pain and diftrefs; doth not, in the leaft degree, affect the original caufe, or what conftitutes fever, viz. tenfion and retention : But the electric fhock, admin- iftered in due proportion* goes to the very bottom of the caufe: the elaftic fpring im- parted to the veffels, by the flight of this dila- ting, diftending element, being conducted through the veffels by the blood, foftens the action of the veffels, by enlarging their diame- ters; confequently they embrace the blood with lefs tightnefs, and there is an immediate abate- ment of pain, &c. This, however, muft be purfued to a certain degree, that is, until a free perfpiration is eftablifhed; otherwife the relief obtained will be but temporary, like that of letting blood; for there is no fuch thing in na- ture, as a cooler in fever, properly fo called, but that which induces perfpiration, or, if you pleafe, fweating : no fever is radically cured, but by this evacuation. A fever hath its firft rife in the fuppreflion of perfpiration, and thofe that become bilious from the fame caufe. To defift the electric fhock before perfpiration is cftabliflied, would be to leave the caufe of heat unremoved; and the confequence will be, that whatever degree of tenfion you took off by the fhock, will be recommenced, and will be all of a piece with letting blood. But as it ha ;h been demonftrated, from the over-actionof the fliock, that a due proportion may be found that will 78 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY anfwer this purpofe, either in the quantity of the charge, or the number of the fhocks, there is nothing doubtful of ultimate-fuccefs, wher- ever there is a judicious and careful attention paid by the operator. There is little reafon to fufpect that a redun- dency of blood, or a full habit, hath any thing to do in promoting fever; it is rather proba- ble, that the exceffive action of a fever arifes from fome previous inaction from languor, from fome deficiency or debility of the direct or indirect kind. Fever is as frequent in a pe- nury of fluids, as in sanguine habits; and to have recourfe to phlebotomy or blood-letting, in any fuch increafed degree of morbid action, is miferable, whether it be in fever, pleurisy, or in peripneumony. Again, in every predif- pofition to fever, there is more or lefs deficien- cy in the fecretions, a vitiation of the humours, a coagulation of blood not duly mixed. The rarifaction of fever heat doth not remedy all thefe diforders in the fyftem; they all call for the afiiftance of the eleclrical effluvia upon them : hence, in every point of view in which we may confider electricity, we find an en- creafing value in it, an encreafing dependence upon it, an encreafing bleffednefs to be derived from it. It appears to me, and I think I fhall make it appear fo to others before I clofe thefe pages, that had we afked of Heaven, and had Heaven granted to us one mean of health, fhort ef miracle, we could not conceive pf any thing INVESTIGATED. 79 to anfwer fo many valuable purpofes. It is con- fpicuoufly fo in the ftate of nature: from its properties, in fuftaimng, enlivening, accelera- ting and animating the whole animal and vege- table creation, we confidered it as the foul of the univerfe; and when it is truly improved by art, or artfully adapted to medical purpofes, it appears to tranfcend all other bodies, as it doth tranfcend them in supporting life in the ftate of nature. It is too far plain to need any comment, that any medicine, agent orpower, which, when ad- adminiftered in a great degree, is capable of fwelling or dilating the veffels till they are rup- tured or burft; and that a leffer quantity, duly apportioned to the exigency of tenfion in a fe- ver, fhould not be able to remove that tenfion. It is equally impoflible, that, in the over-action of that fame power, agent or medicine, there fhould be fuch a violent preffure, oozing or blowing through the pores, as to affect the fkin of an animal, as before defcribed, or to blow boots and fhoes from the legs of a man; and at the fame time, a diminifhed quantity appor- tioned to the exigency of a fuppreffed perfpi- ration in a fever, inflammation, cold,or whatev- er may caufe fuch fuppreflion, which fhould not be removed by this fame agent. I think it is now made evident, and muft leave a convic- tion on the mind of every judicious reader, that electricity is a peculiar, and an infallible remedy for fever and inflammation. 80 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY A deficient degree only, is proper in cafes of debility. Medical electricity hath been greatly dif- graced by an improper adminiftration thereof, in many refpects; fometimes by applying the fhock only, when infolation was more proper; at other times, by infolating only, when the fhock was more neceffary; fometimes by elec- trifying a part, or feat of complaint, which had for its caufe the general diathefis, without electrifying throughout the fyftem, to remove that diathefis. But what hath been of a worfe confequenee than all the reft, is a total neglect of the patient's temperature of air; that is, to keep the patient from every the leaft degree of coolness during the operations of electricity, and for feveral days after the operations of electricity are defifted. But what I mean par- ticularly to reprobate in this place, is the im- propriety of ftrong fhocks in cafes of debility. There will be, however, a temporary fenfation of debility experienced from the continuation of the lighteft fhocks; inafmuch as the moft gen- tle electrifications will, if continued, attenuate the fluids, promote perfpiration, and, by a kind of rarifaction, or friclional heat, propel off air contained in the blood-veffels, and in every part of the fyftem; by which means, all the veffels become lefs distended, and confequent- ly, a fenfation of languor is experienced. This, however, is no argument againft the propriety of ufing electricity in cafes of debility; for not- INVESTIGATED. 81 withftanding this feeming debility, the ultimate termination of the procefs is, the fyftem is pu- rified of vitiated humours, the fecretions are accelerated, and the digeftive powers are invig- orated, and an appetite for food is the com- mon confequence; and, by this procefs, more food is taken and digefted, more nutriment is fupplied to the fyftem, and the veffels are re- plenifhed with vital ftimulus, and the whole fyftem is thus invigorated. But the over-ac- tion of the fliock is much to be dreaded in caf- es of debility. What this over-action is un- derftood to be, hath been before explained ; it is a reduction of the tone and tenfion of the veffels in particular: there is an equality of ten- fion on the whole mufcular folids undoubtedly; but the over-action of the fliock is experienced in the veffels chieliy. If the fhock is fufficient- ly strong to fpring, to diftend or dilate the vef- fels, it weakens and diminifhes their power of propelling on the blood contained in them: hence if the circulations are already too languid, it is madnefs to add to their degree of languor, which hath been the cafe ten thousand times, and hath been one caufe, among many others, of keeping medical electricity in difrepute, al- most from the firft difcovery of it. But as the peculiar effects produced by the fhock are now clearly underftood, it is hoped that thefe im- proprieties will be avoided in future. 82 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY Of IrfohV.hn. This fubtile electrical effluvia, or elementary fire, hath been confidered as the principal agent of the animal -^nd vegetable life; that its action was a direct ftimulus; that a deficiency of it, whicrj. is fometimes caufed by heat, endangers difeafes of debility; that in this deficiency, how- ever, is founded the laws of gravitation and motion; and that the laws of nature were fo arranged, that temporary fupplies fhould be occafionally imparted, in fuch a manner and degree as not to impede the laws of gravi'.ation and motion on the one hand, nor fuffer animal and vegetable life to perifh on the otiier. We come now to the confideration of the artificial fupply of this ethereal fire, and the ir.veftigation of its effects. Seeing this element is evidently the grand principle of animal life, and we have, either by the intcrpofition of Heaven, or by a miraculous stretch of human genius, or Imply by good luck, obtained means of converting it to our ufe in many forms, it would feem, as 1 faid before, that if art hath any thing to do in improving nature, common prudence would fuggeft that we no further neglect to improve, for our ufe, the moft effential mean of health to be found in the univerfe, nor fpend our la- bour and fkill upon (^comparative) infignifican- cies. Not that I mean other medicines fhould be neglected : many of them are, and undoubt- edly always will be, neceffary to the cure of difeafes. But what 1 mean is, that there are INVESTIGATED. 83 already a fufficient number of valuable medi- cines difcovered, to aid electricity in the heal- ing or preventing nearly the whole catalogue of difeafes; and that electricity hath been neg- lected, to the great detriment of mankind. I am not, however, of the opinion of fome, that this hath been a wilful neglect, fearing left it fhould become too familiar; that every one would be in poffeffion of fo great a mean of health, that the faculty would be injured there- by'. Every confideration that hath induced me to publifh this treatife, ftands oppofed to that idea: I know that medical electricity hath ne- ver been underftood; that the fubject is very occult; that thousands, in all probability, yea, undoubtedly, have gone about the bufinefs with an intention to do their utmoft with it: But the adminiftration of it requires fuch minute- nefs of fkill, and this hitherto tobe obtained only from long practice, that many, before they had acquired that neceffary fkill, have flung by the whole bufinefs in defpair, or only ufed it after- Wards for a paftime. I have known phyficians to die of difeafes, with their machines by them, of which, had they underftood them, and known what is now known, they might eafily have cured themfelves. So I conclude, that had phyficians abfolutely known the medical ufe of electricity, and been cruel enough to re- fufe it to their neighbours, they would never have refuf:d it to themfelves and their families* The artificial infolation is not yet fully un- 84 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY derftood: The moft that can be faid is by way of inference, from the confideration of its be- ing naturally, or in the ftate of nature, the an- imating, quickening and fuftaining principle of life and motion, and from the trifling ex- periments that have been as yet made with it. I fay trifling experiments; for the greateft con- tinuations of infolation have been but fhort. The artificial infolation produceth no effect longer than during the time the perfon is upon the infolating ftool or stand: as foon as he fteps off that ftand, he lofes the plus electrification; he is on an equilibrium with thofe fubftances he ftands connected with. What if an opiate fhould lofe all its effect in that fliort fpace of time which people commonly ftand electrified ? It would foon lofe its high estimation too. The artificial infolation, or filling the body with this elementary fire, difcovers itfelf in feveral par- ticulars; fuch as an acceleration of the circula- tions, warmth, and, when carried to a high degree, a vertigo, or fwimming in the head: This vertigo is undoubtedly formed by a redun- dency of blood, flung into the head by the sud- den action of the veffels. A few fmart fhocks paffed from the fides of the neck to the feet, will immediately remove this diforder, by fof- tenmg the action of the veffels in the lower ex- tremities, and then the infolation may be con- tinued; or, in a weakly perfon, it would be beft not to carry it fo high, or, to remedy it, INVESTIGATE*). S^ to pafs the fhocks from the hips to the feet only. The fenfation of warmth experienced, is the effect of the infolation, and arifes from the accel- eration of the circulations. It is found by exper- iment, that thepulfe is quickened two or three puliation? in half a minute. This acceleration of the circulations cannot arife from any degree* of tenfion that might be fuppofed to be induced in the fyftem, becaufe it is aim oft inftantane- ous with the firft infolation ; wherefore, it muft arife from a caufe independent of ten* fion, or at leaft any fuddenly-increafed ten- fion. It is undoubtedly occafioned by the operation of this active principle of life on the fluids independent of the veffels. It is the infeparable property of this effluvia, when attached to light bodies, to repel them afun- der by the globular atmofpheres condenfed around them : thus when this supernatural quantity is added to the natural (the natural itfelf being active) the fupernatural, or artifi- cial quantity encreafes the action of the natur- al; by stimulating the globules of blood with higher and more active atmofpheres, filling the veffels, buoying up the fluids, they flow with more freedom and vigour, with the fame exertion of the heart and arteries, the fame ten* fity of the veffels. Thus, the operations of the artificial, or fu- pernatural quantity, prove my hypothefis con- cerning the natural quantity,to be true,viz.that this elementary fire is the foul of the univerfe. H 86 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY the all-fuftaining, animating, pervading princi- ple of life and motion in the animal and ve- getable creation: and the operations of the natural quantity prove, to a demonstration, that the artificial, or supernatural quantity sup- plied by art, is an additional fupply of the vi- tal principle of all animation and life. But here may arife a queftion—May not the excite- ment of this artificial infolation be canied fo high as to induce indirect debility ? To which I anfwer, it is not likely that any confidcrable inconvenience would arife from a high and lengthy infolation, efpecially if the veffels in the lower extremities were once in a day or two flackened in their action by a few fhocks fuflicicntly strong for the purpofe, to prevent vertigo: moreover, the encreafe of the natural quantity, from summer to winter, is an en- creafe of health and vigour ; and the con- tinuation of this denfity of electric fire through the cold feafon, is a continuation of health, and leffening the number of difeafes among man- kind. In a high ftate of artificial infolation, there will be promoted a perceptible perfpira- tion; fo that I cannot difcover that it forms any kind of predifpofition to fever or inflamma- tion. This element we call fire, when expand- ed, is in an undifturbed ftate, far from what we call warmth; it is only capable of firing Combustibles in the inftant of its expanfion.— You may charge a carts, of powder, or a glafs of rectified fpirits with this fire, and it will pro- INVESTIGATED. 87 duce no \ifible effect; but if you expand the clement, by taking off a fpark, it will take fire or flame. This element is itfelf cold, but by its activity on the animal life, produceth warmth: it is diffimilar to all other things in nature, and we cannot conceive that any degree of it is dangerous, merely becaufe other stimulants in great degrees are dangerous. Infolation a direclflimulus. From all that hath been faid on the fubject of infolation, it is manifest enough, that it is a very diffufive, ac and walk the room, being warmly covered. INVESTIGATED. ,13 If the irritation hath remained fome days in a particular part of the pleura, it will be fo ex- ceedingly weakened and wounded, that the pain wiil incline to that part, in preference to any other ; the blood, wind, &c. will continue to diftend, and irritate the feeble part : in this cafe, the fhock fhould be palled once in half an hour, or nearly that, as the pain may chance to increafe in the part ; this will give the di- lated part temporary relief, and enable it to recover its natural tone and ftrength in a fhort time. But fometimes there is a violent pleu- rify, and with it a voluntary perfpiration ; or at leaft, there will be no fymptoms of perfpira- tion's being fuppreffed—no evidence of sthenic diathefis being prefent, but evidently afthenic. In this cafe, a general fermentation of the blood is all that is neceffary to be effected. It is owing to fome stagnation of the blood, from the grofthcfs of its particles ; to attenuate thefe, and throw them into circulation, is the whole indication of cure ; this may be effect- ed by electrifying throughout the whole fyf- tem,but efpecially through the fides, as ftrongly as the patient can bear, without being wounds ed thereby. It is often neceffary to repeat the fhocks three or four times in one ctay* The oftener they are repeated, the lefs number is generally fuflicient. It is fometimes neceffary to adminifter a purge, but very feldom an emetic. I have obferved cafes, in which an emetic is abfolutely neceffary ; yea, death will K ii4 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY be the confequence of withholding an emetic • but this has its rife in the ftomach ; the pain commences there, by reafon of accumulated iharp crudities, that irritate the region of the ftomach, and by-and-by a fympathy strikes the fides : the doctor is called to a pleuri- fy ; he lets blood, but to no effential purpofe ; It muft abate the fympathy in the fides, but cannot affect the caufe. In one cafe of this defcription, I was called ; but all means were baffled, even the electric fliock would only abate the fympathy in the fides for a few minutes ; but as foon as a puke began to ope- rate, the whole difturbance fubfided. I have known but of one other cafe juft fimilar : A doctor was called, at a late stage : he drew blood for a pleurify ; it availed nothing; the perfon expired in great agony in a few hours after bleeding. St. Anthony*s Fire. This difeafe is attended with a total fup- preflion of perfpiration, equal to any retenfion in fever heat. It may be totally cured by elec- trifying ; but it will be aflifted by purges, &c. The method of treating by electricity, is to electrify freely throughout the whole fyftem, as strongly as the patient can well bear ; and this muft be aflifted by all thofe means pre- fer ibed to affift in promoting a rapid flow of perfpiration in a fever ; this muft be kept up until perfect relief is obtained. If the head is much affected, it muft be cov- ered, and the fhocks paffed from all parts round about the head, to the feet; this will promote perfpiration in the head alfo, it being covered warmly, and will foon throw off the whole affection in the head and body. The covering on the head muft be left off by little and little, or a cold will enfue. Inflammatory Rheumatifm. With fome people, rheumatifm, rhcumatol- * gia, or chronic rheumatifm and gout, all pafs for rheumatifm : with fuch as do not difcrim- inate thefe cafes, my boasted cure of inflamma- tion may, and undoubtedly Will, fall into difrepute. Electricity hath, by many, been recommended in almost all chronic cafes, or cafes of debility, or deficient excitement; and from its known ufefulnefs in fuch cafes, it hath been adored by many. But to apply this ele- mentary fire in cafes of inflammation, of in- creafed action of fever heat, would be to add fire to fire, fuel to flame. It hath been fuppo- fed, that nothing in nature could be more ab- furd, or more dangerous ; that it would tend directly to increafe an inflammation ; but the contrary of all this is juft the truth. I do not mean, however, that the electric fliock is of no ufe in cafes of deficient excitement ; but that it is, as to fome of the effects of deficient ex- citement, a direct remedy: but as to its being a ftimulus, it is only indirectly fuch ; and that when it is purfued to a certain degree, it is a direct debilitator ; and, being fuch, and in that very peculiar manner, before defcribed, is a direct, .remedy of fever and inflammation, goes to the very bottom of the caufe, in fuch a manner as no other medicine on earth can poffibly do, and removes tenfion in any de- gree, and reduces to any ftate or degree of laxity, at the pleasure of the operator, and performs all this in the hands of a judicious electrician, without the leaft prejudice to any part of the animal fyftem : but, on the contra- ry of that, if the ftrength of the fhock doth not exceed due bounds, all the animal func- tions, effential to life and health, are aflifted ; digestion is promoted, any retained coagulated fluids are feparated, and carried into the cir- culation ; and being attenuated, and the natu- ral evacuations promoted, the fluids become cleanfed and purified ; it removes any cxtravafi- tation that may be of the blood, any caufe of polypus, gravel, ulcers, cancers, &c. &c. Thus, while we are removing the moft ma- lignant of difeafes, by this innocent, powerful, and moft bleffed of all medicines, we have the additional fatisfaction of knowing that we are, at the fame time, laying a foundation for the enjoyment of perfect health in the patient. But, as to the manner of removing the in-. flammation in a rheumatifm, the generally increafed action of the veffels, and the fupprek fed perfpiration, muft be treated by electricity ^Tg ,___ ' INVWllt.'nhD. 117 as fever ; and the local affection muft be treated as the lungs in a, peripneumony : for not only the lungs in a peripneumony, but alfo any other part, highly irritated and in- flamed, can hardly bear any degree of an elec- tric fhock. Wherefore, all the relief muft be given that is poflible, by taking off the increaf- ed action, and by inducing a rapid perfpira- tion, before a fingle fhock is paffed through the local affection, or feat of the difeafe. In treating the local affection (vide page 89th) the fame precautions muft be obferved that you do not wound this feat of inflamma- tion, that are neceffary in commencing the ope- ration on the lungs, in a peripneumony\ Moreover, the retained morbific matter will be with more difficulty removed, fhould thefe dilated and irritated vefiels be additionally di- lated by the fliock ; the reduction of the (Vei- ling would be retarded, through the inaction of thefe particular portions of vefkls. For, in fpite of all the ftricture of fever heat, the diameters of the veffels, in the feat of the af- fection, are diftended, by a redundancy of morbific matter, blood, &c. Hence, the caufe of pain arifes from the tightnefs with which the veffels embrace this redundancy. The pains in fever are of a fimilar defcription, or from ftricture fimply. After the fthenic diathefis is removed, and the Iction of the veffels reduced to a ftate of health ; the local affection may be treated by 118 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY Perkins's metalic points ; they would, by a continual ftroking, affift the veffels in carrying off their morbid contents ; although not fo fuddenly as the gentle fhock. This, with much deference to Dr. Perkins's opinion, I conceive to be their chief ufe ; and perhaps a pair of fteel-pointed fciffors would anfwer the fame purpofe. Their friction may, however, remove fpafm, when it approaches nigh to the part affected. * In applying the fhock to local affections, fuppofe in the knee, the fliock fhould occupy a greater fpace than the affec- tion of the difeafe; that is, in the fuppofed cafe, the fhock fhould be paffed from about the hip through the knee, nearly or quite to the foot : if reduced fufficiently low, they may be given in great numbers. I have given frxty, feventy, eighty, to one hundred in a day, but exceedingly light. Purgatives are very * It 18 not a little aftooifhing, that a man of education and talents, fhould fall into the notion, that fever and in- flammation fhould originate io an increafed quantity of ele- mentary fire, (for it muft be that if any thing) imbibed in the human fyilem, that n ight be extracted by pointed in- flnimenta, like what may be extrc&ed from a perfon plus eie&iified, ori an isolating ftool. This appears to be Dr. Perkins's notion of ftver, as is evident from his attempting to treat the yellow fever at New-York with his points. It is to be regretted th.it his miftake fhould coft him his life ; but it proves him to be fincertly miftaken. I doubt not, but that fome cures were effected while fome of thefe were operating; but thtfe might be effc&ed by the fl.imulati-»n of the imagina- tion ; and fuch I fuppofe to be the principal caufe of curea wrought by thofe fanciful gentlemen called animal magnetifers. INVESTIGATED. 119 often neceffary in a high degree of inflamma- tory rheumatifm. Inflammatory Sore Throat. When the pulfe is high, and the perfpiration fuppreffed, adminifter electricity in the fame manner and degree as for a fever, not omitting the other diaporeties, or affifting means of sweating : if a purge is neceffary, give it : af- ter perfpiration is effected, and many fhocks paffed from fhoulder to fhoulder, and from under the chin to the feet, with the neck warmly covered, prepare a decoction of the infide of white oak bark, which any body will underftand, and let the patient drink a little at a time of it, till well : the electric fliock will remove the inflammation, and the bark will heal jthe internal forenefs. The elec- trical fhocks, in a proper degree of warmth, will abfolutely effect the whole cure, but may be aflifted by as many corroborants as you can obtain. Any internal inflammation, or dilation of the lungs, by a fuppreffed perfpiration, may always be" removed, in a little time, by the fhocks paffed in proper directions, and in due degrees, upon the part affected, &c* * Who, that knows by what means America loft the founder of her national greatnef3—what the difeafe that proved fatal to our greatly-beloved Washington—and will not feel with me, that it is almoft too late to blefs man- kind with the knowledge of this ineftimable mean of life and health ! I fay to myfelf, had phyficians attended to the ell- 120 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY Small Pox and Mtofks. Vomit, if there is too much bile, and purge as may be neceffary: But to abate inflamma- tion, to eafe pain, to bring forward the erup- tion with freedom and eafe (if there can be an eruption where the fhocks are given) let the fhocks be paffed throughout every part of the fyftem, and repeated at intervals, if neceffary, If there is danger of the eyes receiving any in- jury, let the head be covered, and fhocks paff- ed from head to foot, from the forehead in par- ticular. Electricity is of infinite value, when people take it the natural way, and unprepared; it often proves fatal: but here, kin.d reader, is an infallible remedy in fmall pox or meafles ; take them how you may, the electric fhock will immediately open a fufficient evacuation, where- by to throw off the infection, to keep down inflammation; and if you apply it in due fea- fon, you may pafs the operation of either with- out the leaft pain or danger of life. But you muft underftand that the temperature of air muft be exactly contrary to what is proper when you do not electrify ; that is, your whole fafety depends on your avoiding every the leaft coolnefs, till you are completely well. treaties of fome good and great characters in England, who have afferterl, from a thoufand experiments, that electricity far exceeded all medicine they ever knew, Mount Vernon might bow have enjoyed her delight, and America her glory !! INVESTIGATED. in Pregnant women have trembled, and not without reafon, at the idea of the fmall pox in that peculiar circumftance; but here, good wo- men, is your fafety—-keep warm; and about the time you begin to feel the fymptoms, e* lectrify juft enough to keep down inflamma- tion ; rather let the fhocks be fight, and increaf- ed in number; take them in every part, but leaft through the uterus; the fermentation will be thrown off by perfpiration ; light fhocks muft be repeated at intervals for two or three days, till the whole infection is voided. A fkilful phyfician fhould conduct through the whole treatment in this cafe. The improvements in the art of inoculating, render it very fafe and eafy to undergo. But when difficulty arifes in that treatment, I ad- vife any perfon to change their temperature .of air peculiar to that treatment, and aftume that fteady degree of warmth peculiar to treating by electricity, and commence the operations without lofs of time. The firft I tried the experiment upon, was a fon of mine, about nine years old; he was in*- oculated at Whiteftown; I never changed his common diet, ^or gavg him the ieaft aid by any other means; I kqpt him within the houfe, and warmly covered; I electrified him once a-day, about twenty light .flocks at. a time; the confequence was as I expected.; he had pot the leaft fyrr\ptoms of fermentation, of inflam- mation, of pain, nor of eruptiqn in any degree. laa MEDICAL ULUtflUlUTY i The place of incifion was a little fcarified by its working there. They who choofe to go through the operation of the fmall pox or meafles, with- out suffering any thing by the fymptoms, by pain or by the eruption, may do it at their leif- ure, by obferving rigidly the foregoing direct tions. If by any unavoidable accident the pa- tient fhould take a cold, in this or an;- other cafe, it muft be immediately removed by the mock, &c< Madnefs. When madnefs is attended with a ftrong hard pulfe, and with or without rednefs of face, there is an indication of a redundancy of blood in the head, and a compreffion and irritation of the brain, or of thofe nerves that proceed from the brain, or the bafis of the brain, the cere- bellum medulla fpinalas, &c.-all which may take its rife from a redundancy of blood in the head. This compreffion and irritation on the feat of fenfation, of thofe nerves Of fuch exquifite fen- fibility, is fufliciefit to produce diforder in the mental faculties, fuch as madnefs or delirium. To remove this redundancy, is to remove the direct caufe of the difordered mind: as to the indirect caufe, it is of no*confequence to enquire; undoubtedly there is a combination of them, partly from the peculiarity of the pref- ent habit, and partly frOm the prefent ftate of agitated fpirits upon that habit; all which may form Or constitute the indirect caufe of the de- tanged mental powers. INVESTIGATED. 123 In order to remedy the immediate caufe of this difordered mind, the exceffive action of the aorta afcendens muft be fuppreffed, and that exceffive preffure of blood to the head muft be thrown down: this can only be done by the action of the electric fhock, paffed from the fides of the neck to the feet. And, by the way, this cafe requires as ftrong an action of the fhock as any cafe i know of. It is fome- times, if not always the cafe, that when there is an over-action in the aorta afcendens, there is a deficiency in the action of the aorta defcendens, or at leaft in the extremities of the arteries towards the feet; and this is more probably the cafe, when we consider that the lower extremities are more expofed to fuffer abufe from colds often, and frequent dampnefs; great exertion upon the folidsin exercife, thence a fudden transition to inaction, hence a cold upon the lower extremities; but fo far from the feat of life, it is not noticed in producing any direct effect upon the fyftem. But one of the confequences is, the aorta defcendens is un- able to receive its equal quantity of blood from the heart; hence the afcendens-muft receive too much; the blood cannot flow freely to the ex- tremities of the arteries downward; and hence they prefs too violently to the extremities of the arteries upwards. But a ftrong action of the fhock goes to the bottom of this cafe, and restores an equilibri- um in the circulations, and frees the head J 24 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY from the affection. It is not certain what num- ber of fhocks will be neceffary; there may be eight or ten ftrong fhocks paffed from the fides Of the neck to the feetj each day; and as many Hght fhocks paffed from the top of the head to the feet, at the fame time. Some means muft be had, if pofiible, to keep the perfon warm. The operations muft be repeated till the patient is reftored to the right ufe of his mind; the ftrength of fhocks may be abated from day to day, as occasion may require. In the habit un- der confideration, bleeding would give a tem- porary relief; but as foon as the veffels were again replenished with their former quantity, the fame affection to the head would be re- fumed. I-can have no idea of plethory, or too great a quantity of fluids in the fyftem; but that all thofe fymptoms which have given rife to fuch a doctrine, have proceeded from extravafita- tion, unequal distribution or morbid tenfion, in whole, or in a pwt of the vafcular fyftem. As it is: peculiar to the action of a ftrong electric fhock to remove tenfion, and to restore an equilibrium in the circulations, fo it is pe- culiar to the fliock to remove all thofe fymp- toms on which the doctrine of plethory is founded. But, notwithftanding, until a mean of tak- ing off tenfion could be found, it hath been well enough fo tamper with the effect, fince INVESTIGATED. »*5 the caufe was either not known, or elfe could not be reached by any known means. If the electric fhock can be applied in the firft ftages of madnefs, before indirect debility takes place, it may be immediately removed; for the exciting power, fo far as it confifts in the animal functions, is inftantly abated. But the exciting power, fo far as it exifts in the mental faculties, whether it be horror, vexa- tion, intenfe grief, &c. muft have mental ap- plications—all thofe foothing, entertaining, en- livening objects and funny topics of difcourfe, muft be indulged in all their conceits, no? irritated by thwarting nor too much oppofition to their fpleeny notions. Thefe laft fymptoms are conftant attendants- on infanity in debility. When it confifts in indirect debility, or from what commenced in raging- madnefs with a ftrong pulfation in the fir ft inftance, it will require a greater length of time to remove it- This cafe of indirect debil- ity, muft be treated by electricity in the fame manner as infanity in direct debility, juft now to be defcribed. , I have found, by experience, that gentler fliocks through every part of the fyftem upon the nerves, and through the ftomach, and down the back of the head, upon the top of the head, through the brain to the feet, have aflifted in* restoring a perfon to the ufe of reafon. The cafe I have refpeft to, and my manner of treat- L i : MEDICAL ELECTRICITY m. t of the cafe, I will relate in full: It may be the moft intelligible receipt. i he perfon was a young married woman, and lived in Milton, Saratoga county; fhe came to me ^t Ballfton pool, in the fummer of 1795, if I remember right. She was attended by her mother and fome others; her mother was the only : erfon fhe would correfpond with; who had, in confequence thereof, taken her to her Iioufe; fhe was terrified at the fight of her huf- band, with whom fhe had lived in perfect cor- diality, until fhe became infane. She had a young child, in fuckling of which fhe was re- duced to that debility that gave rife to her in- fanity; and perhaps there was fome other cor- roborating caufes, that might contribute more or lefs to confirm that degree of debility. Her child fhe would take no notice of, nor fuffer any perfon to come nigh her, but her mother. It was with much difficulty that her mother could prevail wdth her to take the moft trifling fuftenance, and that muft be done in abfence of every one but her mother. Such was her situation after being attended about five months, to no good purpofe. She was emaciated almost to a fkeleton; deep de- jection of fpirits, gloomy and melancholy. I obferved all the decorum mentioned page 106; ufed all the addrefs in my power to in- gratiate myfelf into the number of her friends, which confifted then of her mother only; this I knew was previoufly neceffary, as I could INVESTIGATED. 12^ have no opportunity of administering to her in that fituation. Her hufband came to the houle—I obferved her terror—I laid hold of this opportunity to gain upon her feelings; I would not suffer him to come nigh her, pre- tendedly fo: It had the intended effect. To be brief, it was not long before I was able to per- fuade her to take a little wine; after this, un- der the appearance of entertainment, we got her to the machine, when I paffed fome very light fhocks in all the before mentioned direc- tions. We regaled her with all the lively ap- pearances in our power. The next day fhe could be induced to fmile; this gave me great encouragement. I alternated light fhocks, with wine, diluted brandy, &c. and as her mind be- gan to be caught with lively appearances, we endeavoured to furnifli all the variety that was poflible. The confequence foon was, all that gloominefs of mind was difpellcd, and fhe grad- ually affumed the appearance of cheerfulnefs; her digettion was promoted, and fhe began to take nutricious food freely. To be fhort, in four or five weeks fhe was able to unite with her hufband again in keeping houfe. I had another cafe, juft before this, at the fame place: It was a Mr.----Olcox, tinman, within half a mile of the pool. Several years before I faw him, he had been in a delirium, and, taking the advantage of the abfence of the family in the evening, cut his throat acrofs, With a cafe knife; but fome one coming in foon 128 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY after, faw him lying on the hearth, and bleed- ing in this frightful manner—ran and called assistance; a doctor came foon, fewed up the wound, and faved his life. His bleeding re- ftored him foF that time; but it had gradually increafed upon him for fome time before I favv him; and I was told by fome of the family, that he was apparently more infane at-this time than before he had cut his throat. It was with difficulty that the people got him to me, for he was obftinate, to an extreme dtgree, in every thing. As there was no flattering of him to any thing, they forced him to the ma- chine, like a bullock to the flaughter. I ob- ferved his habit was firm and fanguine, his pulfe very turbulent; 1 administered exceed- ingly heavy fhocks upon him, in the directions which I have recommended in fuch cafes. This being done, he returned home; the next day he came again, was apparently better,but would not own that any thing had or would do him any good; he however took the fhocks with lefs refiftance, and began to fweat freely; this he noticed himfelf, as fomething very extraor- dinary, for he faid he had not fweated in any der gree for thirteen years; to this his friends af- fented. Thefe two turns to the machine, ro stored him at that time, and he was foon wil- ling to own that I had made^him, as it were, a new man. I heard of him repeatedly for three years, and he remained well. INVESTIGATED. 129 I will mention one cafe more, similar to this. The following fummer I had moved to Galway. A young man hearing what I had done at the pool the preceding fummer, came to me, and informed me that his father was crazy; and defired to know if I thought I could help him. I inquired into the circumftances: I found he had been a well, ftrong man; that the preceding winter he had fold a large farm, had come to Galway, and purchafed two others adjacent, but that he had loft, by fome deception, a con- fiderable part of his interest; and that this cha- grinery had produced this effect upon his mind. His family had become much alarmed, and were upon the eve of chaining him; I advifed them to watch him till they could get him to me, and take care that he did not kill himfelf, or any "one elfe; for he told them that the dev- il faid he muft kill a daughter of his. I think it was the next day they brought him forward, fometimes in a waggon, and fometimes out of it; feveral people aflifted, but they could not keep his clothing upon him; for he was mad indeed. By the time he was brought to the machine, which was a very coftly one* I ex- pected he would break it to pieces; but there being about twenty men to affift, we got the chains to him, and as I did not expect we fhould all be able to get the fecond fliock upon him, 1 charged the machine as high as I thought he could bear, and live through; for his arteries were in the higheft ftate of action that ever I \$o MEDICAL1 fitfC1 Rltl i Y difcovered: I paffed the fliock upon him, which almost knocked him to the floor. 1 paffed the fliock from the top of his head to the feet, but it fhould have been from the fide of his neck; it would have been eafier to fuftain, and other- wife anfwered as good a purpofe. He appear- ed fullen after the fhock; but we were able to repeat the fhock with lefs difficulty than I ex- pected : I gave fix or feven more, but lighter. He went home, and was more compofed in his mind the next day, as I was informed; but it was neceffary to bring him again, which they did, but with lefs trouble; notwithftanding, they could not keep fiifilcient covering upon him to keep him from taking cold, which preven- ted his recovering fofaft as otherwife he might have done. I give him a fecond electrification, and they took him home, and it was not long before he had the right ufe of his mind, was compofed and well. I would have mentioned his name, but it has flipped my memory. I hope that all thefe united efforts will avail to induce people to try the fiime experiments on fuch unhappy people as may be deprived of the ufe of their revdon by any of thofe means. which may be fuppofed to be curable. It may be-obferved, by the way, that thofe three caf- es that I have instanced, wese recent ones; and that 1 do not expect that old cafes, or thofe that may proceed from caufes altogether dif- fimilar to thofe I have defcribed, or fimply from nervous irritation, arc likely to meet with INVESTIGATED. s3t fo fudden relief; but that it is expedient to try thefe means in almoft all cafes. Where a lengthy application of electrici- ty is abfolutely neceffary, there is no doubt but that there will be great difficulty in attend- ing and treating a mad or an infane perfon with the electric fhock; that is, to keep them fufficiently warm: this muft abfolutely be done, or no good will enfue; efpecially if the patient 13 in either direct or indirect debility. The fupernatural infolation would be of unquestion- able ufe in cafes of debility ; but it fhould be continued in fome cafes, perhaps, for months fucceflively. In order that this operation might be proper- ly performed, it would be neceffary that an in- folating bed was prepared, and the infolation, or artificial fupply of this ethereal fire, was made by the afliftance of a water-wheel, that the infolation might be constant night and day*, that the patient might fleep in an infolared bed; and if, at any time* a vertigo was induced, to pafs a few fhocks from the hips, or from the tides of the neck, to the feet. The infolation may be perpetuated by a large machine, turned by hand, but it would be more fatiguing. Ague. In treating of this cafe, I fhall venture to take the liberty of giving my own opinion Of the caufe and manner in which this uncommon. 132 MedicaL'ETI^tricity'" or Angular revolution is produced or effected in the human body. This difeafe is peculiarly incident to people Hving in flat, low lands, where the heat is in* tenre, partly by the flatnefs of the furface of the land, and partly from ftill bodies of water, as by the action of light upon thefe frnOoth furfaces, the heat becomes intenfe, and the circumjacent air is divefted of its elafticity, or there is a great deficiency of the natural quan- tity of this expanding, dilating, vibrating, or stimulating element, we call ethereal fire or electricity. It hath been abundantly proven before, that this elementary fire is the very criterion of an- imal life; that in proportion to the degree of the natural quantity, fo is the degree of ani- < mal life and vigour exifting in that quantity. From the intenfenefs of heat in thofe low ' marfhy lands, there is a rapid exhalation of noxious vapour, diffufed throughout the cir- cumambient air, which is undoubtedly unfa- vourable to.health; but this, fimply confideredj J doth not lead us to difcover, in any philofoph- ical manner, how debility fhould originate in that fource, even that great degree of debil- ity that gives rife to a fit of the ague. But upon the other prihciple, it is an obvi- ous result of confequence of a deficiency of this Vital ftimulus. This will further appear, if we confider that the revolution, as I call it, of an . ague, proceeds from a deficiency of energy itt ■ INVESTIGATED. ^ the arterial fyftem, in particular. There is an equal degree of debility throughout the whole vafcular fyftem; but the ague originates in the deficiency or inability of the heart and arteries to propel on the blood towards the furface : And this languor, we may with propriety con- clude, hath its fource in a deficiency of the nat- ural infolation, or natural quantity of the ele- mentary stimulating fire: For it is well known that an additional degree of this stimulus, fup- plied by art, will invigorate and ftrengthen the circulations, and militate directly against an at- tack of the ague. Not only fo, but the ague is never known to originate in any country of high lands, where the heat is lefs intenfe, or where the natural quantity of electricity is not rendered too deficient, by intenfe rarifaction of long continued heat.* * It fhould be remembered in this place, that it hath been demonftrated, that heat doth diveft air of its natural quantity of ethereal fire, or electricity, or that it is highly probable, from the abfolute certainty of its producing that effect on oth- er fubftances, or bodies; fuch as glaf9', bees-wax, and fome other bodies : which fubftances, by fome unknown tranfmn- tation, or configuration of the eledlric body, are changed into the very fubftance, as it were, of glafs, and conftitutes ita tranfparency, its elafticity and brittltnefs; and is fo made up of this very element, that no artificial quantity can be add- ed or approach it, until the natural quantity is firft reduced by heat; then it will receive and convey the artificial quan- tity as freely as water or metal. Bees-wax imbibes fo great a natural quantity in its cold ftate, that it is as impervious as glafs al.noft, to the approach or paffage of an artificial quan- tity j but by being heated, it is as fufceptible as water* 134 MEDICAL LMMM'ROATV" " The ague commences in the following man- ner, viz. by reafon of extreme laxity in the heart and arteries, they become unable to pro- pel on the blood towards the furface; at this inftant the blood recoils upon the heart, and round about the heart in the arteries, forming a kind of extraverfion of the blood; the heart and arteries in the cheft, labour with an excef- five redundancy, greatly diftended and irritated, and finally highly inflamed. The fubject of it is infatiable with drink during this ftage of it. But the furface experiences a very different fenfation: this reflux of blood upon the feat of the circulation, has left the coldness of death upon the furface: this will remain until the internal heat fhall have, by its time and degree, induced a fufficient degree of tenfity, or stric- ture on the heart and arteries, that will enable them to propel on towards the extreme parts that exceffive redundancy that inflamed them. As foon as this fufficient tenfity is formed, the blood comes forward towards the furface with fever heat; and that inflammation which was firft internal and local, now becomes external and univerfal. This appears to be the true circumstance of the cafe, fo far. And it will follow, that this acquired morbid tenfion will, according to the degree of it, refift another paroxyfm: it the in- ternal heat continue long, the fit will be re- filled a length of time, in proportion thereto j but if the internal fever heat be of fhort du- INVESTIGATED. *35 ration, the refiftance to another paroxyfm will be proportionably fhort. Hence the quotidian and tertian agues are more violent and of long- er duration in their paroxyfms, than thofe that occur daily; and this longer continuance de- termines the duration of that refiftance to the next paroxyfm. This acquired tenfion may, however, be loft by fome accident, by bodily or mental fatigue, by unufual abstinence from fuitable nutriment, &c. all which may fhorten the term of refiftance to the next ague. A tri- fling cold will infallibly induce an ague very fuddenly, which is a circumstance that peo- ple but little notice, and which is a very common caufe of this difeafe remaining fo long. The caufe of thofe fevers continuing fo fhort a time, is partly owing to the brevity of the exifting caufe, and partly to the lefs compara- tive degree of tenfion on the furface, with that which exifts internally. The internal energy of the arteries, forms an exertion towards the furface, and the refiftance by fuppreflion of per- fpiration through tenfion on the furface, being little or nothing, a diaphorefis is quickly in- duced, and the inflammation muft fubfide. The pores being very open at the clofe of eve- ry paroxyfm, renders it very neceffary that people fhould obferve a Heady degree of warmth in this difeafe, even when they are not electri- fied. 136 MEDICAL Thefe ague-fits, like the epilepfy, arc more eafily prevented than remedied or removed, after they have once commenced; the fyftem is much weaker after the firft paroxyfm, than before. The arteries are fo exceflively dilated by the redundancy of blood, that notwithftand- ing their temporary ftricture, acquired by the fever heat upon them, it is foon loft; and be- ing loft, they are in a greater degree of lax- ity than before. The ufe of the electric fhock in removing an ague, is fometimes very confiderable, and often a radical cure; it is of ufe to throw off the jaun- dice, to regulate the fecretions, and in fine, to prevent its terminating in a bilious fever. But this is not all; it will prevent the gradual re- duction of the exifting tenfion in the fyftem, by preventing the dilation of the arteries, through the redundancy of blood in this unnat- ural reflux upon them. That this operation may be made properly, the fliocks muft be paffed through every part of the fyftem, but efpecially through the cheft; and this muft be done at the inftant, or if you can guefs the time, a few minutes before the fenfation of cold commences: thefe fliocks muft be repeated until the fenfation of cold fubfides: the intention of the fhocks is to ftim- ulate, or impart elaftic fprings upon the arte- ries, thereby to enable them to perpetuate the free flow of blood towards the furface, which they will do, arnd reftore a fenfation of warmth jj ffA f.UiUUlUTt INVESTIGATED. "37 in confequence thereof: in performing this, the arteries are fecured from that redundancy which ultimately diminifhes their exifting ten- fity; and the patient is relieved from much pain and diftrefs, even when the fits are not intirely removed thereby. But by performing this operation, at the proper time, as above mentioned, for two or three feveral paroxyfms, they will frequently cure; and if not, they will greatly relieve the patient. The fliocks muft be paffed from the right hand to the left, from the fides of the neck to the feet, and from the back to the feet: laftly, pafs a few from the forehead to the feet, if there fhould be any pain in the head. By this time it muft be underftood, that the fliocks muft be light, as this is well known to be,a cafe of very great laxity. The minuteft care is abfolutely neceffary, that the patient ob- ferve a fteady degree of warmth; the inoft tri- fling variation, or the leaft degree of coolnefs, but for a minute, will induce a fit of the ague, in this critical situation; fo alfo will a little mental or bodily exercife, or food that is not eafily digested; all thefe things muft be obferv- ed by the perfon who wifhes to be reftored in a fhort time. It fhould be remembered, that if by any inattention or careleffnefs, a fit is indu- ced the confequence will be, that the cure is unavoidably procrastinated feveral days. Hence from a number of thefe caufes, it has happen- ed that: phyficians have fo frequently failed of M 138 MEDICAL EFALlklUlfi giving relief in this difeafe. Although they have not generally had the beft means, yet they have been pofTeffed of fuch as would very often cure in this cafe, and the cafes would have been more frequent, had not the patients been want- ing in themfelves. The fupernatural infolation is of importance in this cafe; a high degree of infolation, if com- menced an hour before the fit, will refift the paroxyfm confiderably, or totally prevent it: this, however, depends on the degree of the in- folation; if it is very high, it is importable that the ague fhould commence; but a weak degree of it, conjoined with a few light fhocks, and a fmall dofe of opium, diluted or in fubftance, will, unlefs a miracle prevent if, refift the fit to all in- tents. This is the mode of treatment which I fhall recommend: ufe all the artificial infola- tion that is poflible, from day to day; and about an hour previous to the paroxyfm, stim- ulate and raife the tone of the veffels, by that miftaken old fedative, opium: if the fenfe of cold, or as oft as the fenfe of cold fhall appear, affift the action of the arteries, by a few light elaftic fprings; thefe fhocks will alfo attenuate the blood, and facilitate it to the tone of the veffels. If a puke is neceffary, give it, or any other evacuant. St. Vitus*s Dance. This involuntary motion is eafily cured by the gentle electrification, daily administered, INVESTIGATED. *39 and by repeated infolations. Let light fhocks, to the amount of twelve or fifteen, be daily paffed upon the whole nervous fyftem. I have had but one cafe of this kind; it was a young girl, niece of Mr. Merrill, Ballfton pool; fhe had been feveral months in this situation. It was with difficulty that fhe could articulate fo as to be underftood, or afcend or defcend a flight of ftairs, &c. fhe had been under the care of one or two phyficians; but by fome means, received no perceptible benefit. The method I purfued, was to give her about fifteen light fhocks in every part of the body and limbs, in the evening; then put her into a warm bed, and gave her freely of fome diaphore- tic herb-tea, the more readily to produce a fweat. She was kept in a gentle perfpiration three or four nights fucceffively; but in half that time fhe was* evidently better, and in about ten or twelve days was intirely well. This girl had fymptoms of a cachexy of the fluids, by corrofive tetters on the furface; this caufed me to conjecture, that this involuntary motion proceeded not fo much from debility, Amply confidered, as from thofe fharp humour?, as I conceived, to prick and irritate the nerves, and caufe them to fpring and move, without the volition of the will. And in the fequel I was confirmed in my opinion: the recovery was too fudden to admit the idea, that the caufe was debility; but it was not too fudden to admit of the idea of its proceeding from an 140 MEDICAL tffllCTSScTTY irritation of the nerves, by the action of a vi- tiated ftate of the humours upon them. It was familiar to me, that no means on earth were able to cleanfe the human body of a cachexy, or purge the blood of vitiated humours fo fud- denly and effectually as that of electrifying free- ly, and this lucceeded by deep fweats. I form- ed my procefs accordingly, and it had the defir- ed and intended effect; and purging off the hu- mours, was the cure of the involuntary motion of the nervous fyftem. 1 infolated the girl two or three times only, and this was not continued half an hour at a time; fo that the cure could not be founded on the action of fo fliort a ftim- ulus: moreover, fhe was not infolated until af- ter fhe had received fome degree of betterment. The moft of people exercifed with this com- plaint, are in habits of debility. This was my reafon for recommending it, to corroborate with the fhock. Hyflerics. The fpafm that attends this difeafe being a fecondary effect, arising, undoubtedly, from compreffion and preffure—the whole affection the preffure to the ftomach, head, &c.—all will immediately fubfide, by parting the fhocks, in due number and force, from the fides of the neck to the feet. This compreffion and pref- fure is fuddenly counteracted by the depreffion of the electrical fhock upon the part affected. I have feldom had occasion to give more than twenty fhocks, and moftly light ones, to re- INVESTIGATED. 141 move one of thofe rude fits. I have ufed the fhock in this manner, I think, in hundreds of cafes; and have ever found it to have one uni- form effect, fuch as above defcribed. the ef- fect of removing a paroxyfm by the fhocks has been, that when women have been careful not to take a cold immediately upon th: fliock, they have been lefs fubject to the paroxyfm for a longer time, than when they were remov- ed by other means. Electrifying from the hips to the feet only, would be fufficient to prevent a paroxyfm, would women be careful to keep their feet warm. Doctor Graham, of London, who ufed med- ical electricity a confiderable time, and found it to be fo exceedingly ufeful to women, in difeafes peculiar to themfelves, hath faid that women may, with propriety, adore electricity. There is a certain effect produced by the electric fliock, which I have fcarcely noticed as yet, and which may as properly be in- troduced here as any other place, mafmuch as this Angular effect is concerned in the cure of the difeafe now under conlideration.— The effect I have reference to, is what cauled Doftor Franklin to fay, that the flio.k deter- mined the blood, one way or the other, accord- ing as the fhock was directed. Dr. Cavallo, a lite Britifh writer upon medical electricity, hath barely, contradicted Franklin's affertion. diink Doctor Cavallo had better been filent on tMs fubjed: for there is an effect produced 142 MEDICAT itilU'l R1UTY by the fhock, which doth, in fome refpects, caufe the blood, but particularly certain affec- tions, to move in the fame direction as the fliock: and to know this, is of great import- ance in the cure of feveral difeafes. But it ap- pears totally to have efcaped the obfervation of Cavallo. Indeed, the whole fyftem of princi- ples hath efcaped, not only Cavallo, but all, other writers on the fubject. From feveral obfervations, which I have made in many thoufands of experiments, I will endeavour to define this phenomenon, in the effects produced by the fhocks on the hu- man body. It hath, at leaft, been hinted, that the fhock doth determine the courfe of blood, in fome degree: this was neceffarily fuppofed to be one effect produced, otherwife it could not remove a redundancy of blood from the head. It is fuppofed to effect the removal of ftagnant fluids, wind, &c. in the fame direc- tion with the fhock, as is frequently the cafe, (vide Pleurify, page 111.) It is fuppofed to de- termine the courfe of removal of certain affec- tions; as, in the particular cafe now under con- fideration, it is fuppofed to effect the depref- fion of the hyfterics. That it doth produce thefe effects, is inconteftibly true, and may be demonftrated, in every occasion that prefents itfelf. Shocks paffed from the upper extrem. ities to the feet, caufe the blood to flow more freely towards the feet, and induce warmth in the feet. Moreover, I have obferved, that when INVESTIGATED. >43 I have electrified parts that have been badly bruifed, the coagulated blood not only tends immediately* towards the furface, in a very vifible manner; but I have noticed, that it would diffufe through the mufcles, from the part affected, in the fame direction in which the fhocks were paffed.* One obfervation more, and which I think will determine in favour of Doctor Franklin's opinion, and will be conclufively againft Caval- lo's; and that is, let any perfon, of a fanguine habit, pafs a few fliocks from his feet to the crown of his head: it will generally, or inva- riably produce rednefs of face, fometimes ver- tigo, and there will be a fenfation of an in- creafed bulkinefs of the head. A certain phyfician, who had juft purchafed a machine of me, by fome miftake took the fhock afcendingly to the head, for the tooth* ache: It gave him all the above mentioned fen- fations, except vertigo; but it cured his tooth- ache. From the above cited occurrences and obfer- Vations, it is demonstrably true, that the dec- trie fhock, when pafled upon certain affections, doth determine the courfe of their removal; * If the electric fhock will feparate fuch a coagulation, and, what is (till mdre beneficial, throw it towards the fur- face ; what fhall we think of phyficians who havfc remonftra- ted againft pafling the fhock upon a body of humours, left they fhould fall upon fome vital part, and prove fatal, perhaps, to life, &C4 r 144 MEDICAl and that it tends alfo to propel humours to- wards the furface of the body; and that, con- fequently, the patient doth void them by per- fpiration. And it is equally true, that when the fhock is paffed upon a fet of veffels, but ef- pecially the arteries leading to any particular part, and the fhock parting in conformity to the motion of the arteries, it doth affift them in forming a redundancy in that part to which the arteries lead, the fhock being in due force. From all that hath been faid on the fubject, may be learned thefe two things: Firft, That in order to affect difeafes in a proper manner, there fhould be a judicious attention to the di- rection of the fhock; and, fecondly, That as there hath been no knowledge of this particu- lar matter, nor indeed of any thing founded on rational principle, refpecting medical elec- tricity, it is no very great marvel that it is in no higher eftimation among the generality of mankind. Any man may ufe a machine; but he muft be well inftructed, that doth it prop- erly. Epilepfy. This difeafe may fometimes be cured, but may always be relieved, by electrifying. If you can know by the fymptoms, at any time, when the fit is coming on, you may prevent it for that time, by giving a few fliocks. It will alfo throw off the fpafm, and bring any perfon out of a paroxyfm immediately, by pafling a few fhocks INVESTIGATED. '45 from hand to hand, through the breaft, and from the fides of the neck, and from the top of the head, to the feet. 1 fuppofe there are feveral caufes of epilepfy, and that it is difficult to trace them with pre- cision. It is, at leaft, a very obstinate difeafe, and fometimes baffles all medical fkill. It is found, however, by experience, that the gen- tle electrifications go the farthest in relieving perfons who are fo unhappy as to be fubject to it. Thofe cafes which I have radically cured by the electric fhock, were fuch as 1 had reafon to apprehend proceeded from fome diforder in the head—perhaps compreffion of the brain, from fome caufe or other, or fome part effen- tial to life and health contiguous thereto. The evidences were, a great degree of ftupor, and lofs of memory: The more thefe fymptoms ap- pear, the more hope there is of a cure by the electric fliock. If the caufe appears, from thefe fymptoms, to exist in the head, the fhock may be paffed from the top of it only, to the feet. If there is evidently a redundancy in the head, it will be expedient to pafs fome ftrong fhocks from the fides of the neck to the feet. There is a general utility in electrifying for all kinds of fits: even when you cannot total- ly cure them, they are always made lefs fre- quent, and generally fhorter and lighter; not only fo, but it will forever prevent ftupor, lofs of memory, &c.—will preferve the mental fac- ulties—infomuch, that there is as little danger N i46 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY of their being impaired by the fits, as there is by the moft trifling difeafe. I have expcricn^ ced this bltfled effect of the fhocks, without any exception, in about one hundred cafes: Theftupid have affumed their former vivacity and cheerfulnefs, and have been reftored to the full poffeffion of their former mental abilities. Thefe effects are produced by pafling the fhock from the head to the feet. If the fits cannot be finally cured, it will be neceffary to electrify in this manner: to pafs two or three fhocks at leaft, from the forehead to the feet, as oft as every fecond, third, or perhaps fourth fit, in order to preferve the mental faculties. It will be eafy to judge from obfervation of the patient, at what time it will be neceffary to electrify. When it is apparent, that general debility hath a part, at leaft, in constituting the pa- roxyfm, I think it would be expedient to ac- company the gentle fhock with a high and conftant infolation. Depend not on infolating" for an hour or two hours in a day ; but let it be continued for months, if neceffary : there can be no fatisfactory judgment made of the ultimate benefit of the fupernatural or artificial infolation, in fuch obftinate cafes, or any cafe of great debility, unlefs the infolation be con* tinued for a long time; and to effect this pur- pofe, a large conftruction will be neceffary, and the beft of all, would be fuch an one as I have recommended (vide page 93, chap. 2d.) to iW VV.& i itiA i-£I>. 147 be turned by the afliftance of a water-wheel. The action of this invaluable principle of life, continued a lengthy time, muft produce very valuable effects,in cafes of deficient excitement: 2nd as it is taught by fome notable writers, that epilepfy originates in debility, at leaft fometimes, I think it will be highly expedient to try the utmost of the artificial infolation, in thefe obftinate cafes of epilepfy. Under a pro- cefs or treatment by infolation, I do not advife to adminifter the fhock, unlefs the fymptoms of paroxyfm may be difcovered; or when there is no apparent admonition to be obferv- ed, and the fits are nearly periodical; then to electrify as before defcribed, beginning the operation, as nigh as may be, two or three days previous to the paroxyfm ; and give about twelve or fifteen light fliocks, in the feveral directions before named, but let the laft fliocks be always given from head to feet. This number of fhocks, or perhaps one half this number in fome cafes, may be given daily, until the ufual period of the fit is paffed two or three days, or longer. But the paroxyfm fhould be conftantly looked for, and the pa- tient conftantly obferved, and the apparatus at hand ; that if the fymptoms cannot be obferv- ed, vet that the fit may be inftantly removed by a'few light fhocks. I have obferved, that when the fliocks through the breaft from hand to hand, would not inftantly recover a perfon from the f; afm ; I have pafled the fliock from 148 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY the forehead or top of the head to the feet, and they have immediately recovered their fenfes. This circumftance of the fliock through the brain, being fo very efficacious in giving relief in the epilepfy, has led me to fufpect th t the fit proceeds more from the brain, or the heads of the nerves in the medullary fubftance of the brain, than hath been generally fufpect- ed : the fpafm, however, doth commonly, or always commence firft in the head. I have feen perfons, in the commencement of the pa- roxyfm, Handing upon their feet, their eyes drawn erect, their bodies turning fwiftly round, until they fell by the univerfal fpafm. Admitting that the epilepfy proceeds from fome defect in the feat of fenfation and the fource of volition, it is no wonder that the electric fhock has fuch an afcendency over any other means that can be found; feeing it is the only means that can act directly upon the brain and feat of the nerves : but as there is fuch an intimacy of fenfation and fympathy between the brain and the nerves proceeding from the brain, that it is difficult to determine whether the defect is local in the head, or uni- verfal upon the nerves. I have inferted thefe re- marks and obfervations that thofe who have abil- ities may judge of their value, if they have any. Decoctions of valerian root, alternated with opiates, are fometimes beneficial. The patient muft keep warm ; one flight cold will bring on a paroxyfm. INVESTIGATED. 149 (ramp in the leg?, or any other part, i- always relieved for a time by taking a few light fliocks upon the part affected: if the part is kept warm, it will keep the cramp off a long time ; but if you wet your feet, or let the part be cold, the cramp will return immediately. Confumption. Si veral European electricians have recom- mended gentle fliocks in a confumption. I law a German doctor who faid he could al- ways cure a hectic fever by electrifying. But the procefs by electricity is attended with no fmall difficulty : this will confift in the tem- perature of air ; there muft be a degree of warmth, or the patient will take cold, and there can no cure be ma^e : they muft not be too ■ warm, or they will be emaciated to death, by perfpiration : in fhort, there muft be no vari- ation of a fteady degree of warmth : let this be firft determined upon; then proceed to electrify through the vitals, but very lightly: do not fufter a fhock that will weaken the pa- tient, by dilating the veffels ; they muft be obftinatcly light. *" On the firft electrification there may be twenty fliocks given ; but fome of the laft may oe paffed from the forehead to the feet, that the head may be free from pain and dizzincis. For three or four the firft days, the patient may receive nearly this number of fliocks ; but the number may, and muft be reduced: it will by no means be neceffary to 150 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY continue an equal number daily, or on the days of electrifying, through the whole procefs of treatment by electricity. Suppofc the con- fumption to be on the liver; fuppolc it ulcerated, tumified and inflamed; the firft fliocks will atten- uate the humours, feparate the coagulations, or caufe purulent matter to be difcharged. The ftagnated mafs of humours in the liver will be broken up, and the inflammation or hectic fe- ver will fubfide; for this fever is constituted through the irritation of a part, and its begin- ning is purely local. Wherefore, after the body of tumefaction is removed, in general, the electrifications may be lefs frequent, re- peated once in two days, or elfe four or five light fhocks in a day : but this muft be partly difcretionary ; if the perfon feels easier, if the cough is lighter, and raife quicker and more freely, and efpecially if the patient is very weak, forbear all the fhocks that are poffible ; be careful not to induce any unneceflary de- bility. But the fhocks muft be repeated fo oft as to caufe the patient to raife eafy and freely ; after the fhocks, give a dofe of elixir paregoric, to stimulate the vitals, and enable them to throw off their morbid contents ; this may be repeated once or twice a day. There is another excellent remedy, either for cough, confumption or jaundice ; 1 learned it of an Indian, who was famous in the knowledge of roots and herbs, the productions of America : that is, the bark of bay-berry root, a certain INVESTIGATED. I5I herb—looks much like a blue-berry bufh, and produces a berry of which people frequently make a tallow, called bay-berry tallow. I have never known it to grow more than fixty miles from falt-water. The firft time I ufed this remedy, was in a confumption on the liver: it directly facilitated raifing, when the perfon coughed ; and the perfon had a fenfation of prickling, as he faid, to the ends of his fingers : the ufe of it was continued about fourteen days, and the perfon got well. A French doc- tor, who had vifited him feveral times, was knowing to my manner of treatment ; he turned to an author, written in French, in which the tallow of this bufh was recom- mended: but it was our joint opinion, that a decoction of the root bark was much bet- ter. The roots being dug and wafhed clean, fcrape off the bark ; about a fingle handful may be put to a quart of water, and fimmered over a fire till the fubftance is pretty well ex- tracted, which will require an hour ; let the patient take a large table fpoonful twice a day, •upon an empty ftomach ; but even fome adults cannot bear quite fo much, and fome can take more, and not offend their flomachs ; this muft be continued, but in leffer quantities, till well. With this innocent and powerful mean, con- join alfo the fupernatural infolation, to keep up and invigorate the fyftem : let infolation be as conftant as poflible: if this is continued 152 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY highly, there will be lefs need of the elixir pa- regoric to be taken ; it will anfwer nearly the fame purpofe. Very few cafes of confumption will fail of a cure by the gentle fhocks ; but when this de- coction of the bark and the artificial infolation are conjoined, the cafes that will refift them all, will be very Angular and few. The excellent uiefulnefs of the fliock, may be learned from the effect it pioduceth on ex- ternal fores, and tumefactions and ulcers: the fhocks being daily pAfed through the moft malignant ulcer, wi!! directly difcharge the whole matter, clarify the humours, and caufe the parts to contact and heal ; no means on earth will heal an ulcer in twice the lime that the fhocks require ; and indeed it will heal ulcers and fores, that no other means could be found to heal. Seeing, then, that this remedy is as eafily applied to the liver, lungs or any vital or internal part, as it is to a fore or in- flamed leg, which it will always heal, who cm fhew any reafon why it will not produce the fame effect internally ? He that will difpute it muft be a novice, or elfe wifh to blind men's eyes. To fpeak plain Englifh, there are reme- dies enough for external ulcers, tumefactions* &c. and the ancients attempted to heal both external and internal by nearly the fame means; but both ancient and modern practice have failed in the internal part : but thanks be to God, we have now a divine medicine, INVESTIGATED. *53 and divinely pure in its nature ; it reaches to the receffes of the heart, to every internal part, producing all thofe effects that'were wanting in other means ; juft fuch as were neceffary to confummate the medical art, and enable us to triumph over difeafes. lie muft be purblind that cannot fee, that if there are any cafes of confumption which are past cure by electricity, that it is impoflible, in the nature of things, that a confumption, tumefaction or ulcer fhould form, either internally or externally, while the difcutiency of the electric fliocks are pafling upon the fluids : Mow think ye that polypufes, ulcers, aneurifms or oflifications can form in the arteries, where the electrical fliocks are frequently acting upon them ? If thefe means fail of curing a confumption, it muft be in the laft ftages of it, or through want of a careful and judicious attention to the temperature of air, or mode of treatment. It is ardently wifhed, by a friend to man, that thefe new and excellent means of health may foon become fo general, that dangerous difeafes may not be fuffered to proceed fo far, as to render their cure doubtful. Pafy. I need not fay much to convince people of the propriety of ufing the electrical fhock for this difeafe ; it is very generally known to be the beft mean of reftoring paralytic cafes of any thing yet difcovered. Notwithftanding, MEDICAL ELECTRICITY as there hath been much impropriety in the manner of treating thefe cafes by electricity, it will be neceffary to be very particular in defcribing the regular mode of treatment. For many years after the difcovery of electri- city, or after the art of giving an electric fliock upon the human body was rendered practica- ble, and attempts were begun to be made to restore difeafes by the fhock, it was one uni- verfal error to elects? r\ too very strongly ; the confequence was, that fome difeafes, the palfy in particular, would be confiderably reftored ; but by continuing the fliocks too strongly, there would be, firft a ceffation of betterment, and fometimes a total relapfc into their former ftate ; but this laft circumstance muft have been owing to another mistake, which was as univerfal and as detrimental as the former, viz. a totai neglect or a fteady warmth, which fhould have been conftantly obferved. But Dr. Cavallo, a gentleman of the Royal Society in London, in his treatife upon medical elec- tricity, hath, with much accuracy, detected the error of ftrong fhocks ; and his writings have gone not a little way in recommending to mankind a more candid attention to the fub- ject of medical electricity. A partial palfy hardly ever fails of a fpeedy cure, by giving thirty or forty light fhocks in the courfe of each day : feveral fuch cafes I have reftored in fifteen, twenty or thirty days. It is more difficult to reftore the lofs of motion, INVESTIGATED. 15 j than that of fenfation : the lofs of fenfation is reftored very generally in a few days ; about one fhock in a hundred, fliould be fo ftrong as to be perceptible to the patient, the whole diftance of the paralytic part. If the tongue is defective, let a cork or piece of foft wood be held between the patient's teeth, and let one wire be held to the back of the neck, and the tongue being put forward of the teeth, lay the other wire to the end of the tongue ; then you arc ready to pafs the fliocks : (the cork will prevent the patients biting their tongues when the fhock is given) you may give fifteen light fhocks on the tongue, in one day ; and by the way, the tongue is fooner reftored than any other part, as I have oftm experienced. When the palfy is total, there will be much patience required to effect a cure ; the fhorteft term cannot be lei':; than three months, and frequently twice that time will be fpent in effecting a complete cure ; this, however, is a calculation made from obferving the degrees ..^pi" betterment acquired during the feveral pe- riods in which I have attended upon fuch cafes ; two of them only exceeded one month that I continued the fhock, and one of thefe two cafes was totally cured in the courfe of a fum- mer ; but the other was only partially reftored, in the courfe of three months, or nearly that [ time: but what I mean to notice, is this, that *■ the longer the electrification was continued, the greater the degree of betterment; but cafes 156 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY varied very much in gaining betterment. From all which circumftances, I have made the calculations refpecting the time that probably will be occupied in the various cafes of palfy. This I thought expedient to be noticed, left people fhould too easily defpair of a cure. It may be obferved, that the recovery of volun- tary motion, will be perceived firft in the part where the nerves fpring, or take their rife, and will gradually proceed to the extremities of the fame nerves ; this will lead the operator to underftand, that the fhocks muft be paffed from the origin of the nerves, in any particu- lar part, to their termination. The method of electrifying for the palfy, which I have found to be the beft, after trying all methods, is to give, on the paralytic part, about thirty or forty light fhocks daily, but about every hundredth with an encreafed force, fo as to be perceptibly felt by the patient throughout a paralytic limb, &c. There is another method of ufing electricity in this cafe, which, for want of opportunity fince I conceived of it, I have never experienotf ed in this cafe. It is well known that blifter.' ing has often proved ufeful in a palfy ; and this being effected merely by irritation, it is more than probable that the irritation of draw- ing the electric fpark would alfo prove bene- ficial : furthermore, if the irritation of blifter- ing is fometimes, and perhaps always, more or lefs beneficial, how much more beneficial may» INVESTIGATED. '57 the extraction of the electric fpark prove ? efpecially, when we confider that the extraction of the fpark may be repeated, and in fuch num- bers, continually, on every part of a paralytic limb, kc. as to excite ten times the degree of irritation that can be effected by bliftering; the extraction of the fpark will alfo be attend- ed with lefs suffering, or rather no fuffering to the patient. I ca'nnot but feel a regret, that this idea had never struck my mind, until it is too late to give demonftrative examples of its ufe in this treatife. But it is fo felf-evident- ly calculated to be beneficial in a palfy, that I think the judicious electrician will want no further arguments to induce him to put in ex- ecution a thorough experiment. In order to determine its effect accurately, it will be ne- ceffary to try the operation for a month, at leaft, without conjoining any other means. The manner of operating will be, to covef the paralytic part with one or two thickneffes of flannel, and draw the fpark through them; but muft not draw too many exactly in one place, otherwife it will inflarrie and blister the part. By drawing great numbers of ftrong fparks from a wen, you may inflame and fup- purate it, and any other fwelling of the kind: wherefore there muft be a continual varying of the place whence the fpark is extracted, unlefs it is intended to promote inflammation and fuppuration. O 158 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY When I have ufed the gentle fliocks upon a palfy, I have never been able to difcover that any of the common celebrated fpecifics, when conjoined with the electrification, were of any ufe in accelerating the cure: I have feveral times conjoined a preparation of Spi. Vint. Camp, Vc'. Spi. c. c. and applied this compound as hot as the patient could bear; in which ftate, the mufcle will abforb a ftream nearly as big as a large knitting-needle; but it is fomething pro- bable, that the diffufability of the fhocks, op- erating diaphoretically, propels the ftimulus abforpt in the mufcle towards the furface, and it flies off in perfpiration prematurely. Dropfy. From all that hath been advanced on the fubject of medical electricity, I expect my rea- der will almost prevent me from faying any thing in recommendation of electricity in a dropfy, by faying it is already prefuppofed ; and in every point of view, in which the ef- fects of the electric fhocks have been confider- ed, we know it muft neceffarily affect a drop- fy in a moft agreeable manner. I do not mean to insinuate that your abilities are not sufficient to difcern a thing fo obvious to the weakest ca- pacity ; but it may be neceffary, notwithftand- ing, to familiarize the fubject by confidering feveral particulars that refpect a judicious treat- ment of the different cafes of dropfy. INVESTIGATED. "59 Anafarfa.—This is a dropfy on the furface of the body, an effufion of water fecreted from the blood and retained.under the porous fyftem, but cannot be voided by perfpiration without the afliftance of art. This is always curable by the fhocks only: the method I have taken is, to give the patients as many fhocks in a day as they could conveniently bear; and three or four nights in a week, have given them pro- fufe fweatings. In order to stimulate the ar- teries, and propel on the perfpiration, I have given brandy with water very freely for con- stant drink. The effufion will perfpire exceed- ingly faft, and you will difcover it in the reduc- tion of the fwelling after the firft night's fweat. Great care muft be had in this, as well as all other cafes of electrifying, that the patient is kept' fteadily fecured from coolnefs, night and day. Afcites.—This is an effufion of water fecre- ted in the abdomen. I have ufed electricity but in two of thefe cafes, one of which was a wo- man : I electrified her but twice; I heard fhe was a little relieved. The other was a man, viz.-------Robinfon, Efq. of Chatham, coun- ty of Columbia. For fome time before I faw him, the fwelling had increafed upon him ve- ry much, and all means that formerly had giv- en relief now failed ; he applied to electricity, in this extremity, for relief; in five days he was a good deal better, infomuch that a veft, juft made, larger than ufual, and which he had i6o MEDICAL ELECTRICITY fuddenly grown too large for, was feveral inch- es larger than was neceffary to button round. He had been very much troubled with a Angu- lar diforder, in a part being inflamed with tet- ters, and finally produced an effect to prevent the poflibility of voiding urine, by turns, without the afliftance of the lancet: But this whole affection fubfided in four or five days after the firft electrification; he was able in a fhort fpace of time to proceed on a lengthy journey. I will mention one cafe; it may reflect fome light. A gentleman called on me at Ballfton pool; he was troubled with a rigidity on the whole nervous fyftem; he could move all his limbs a little, but they were stiff. I gave him fixty ftrong fhocks, pafling them on all parts; he tarried two hours,andwas aftonifhed to find, that after ufing many means,^and all to no pur- pofe, with great coft, he was now reftored in two hours, with two fhillings coft. He call- ed to fee me about twenty days after, and afk- ed me if I thought that the fhocks had any tendency to remove a dropfy : he faid he had grown weary, not only of ufing means for help, but of even mentioning a complaint which had troubled him for years, and refufed any kind of help from all means that had been prefcribed by phyficians. In a few hours after he left me, he faid, he began to make water ex- ceffively; I think he faid he made nearly a gal- lon in a few hours, and as the water was void- INVESTIGATED. 161 ed his old complaint grew lefs and lefs, and by the time the profusion of urine fubfided, he was entirely well of his old diforder; the fen- fation of which, as he faid, was a heavy load lodged in his bowels, as you might conceive of a cannon-fhot; before, he knew not what to call it, but now he knew it was the dropfy. In what part this effufion was fecreted I know not; or whether it was voided by fome re-ab- forbency, or whether that is poffible I know not. It puts me in mind of what I once read in Doctor Wefley's primitive phyfic, viz. "Elec- trifying cures dropsies, fuppofed incurable." What I have mentioned are the fummary of my experiments in the internal dropsies. It is my opinion that the readiest method of removing a dropfy in the abdomen, would be to extract the effufion by the catheter, and af- ter this is done then you may electrify, mere- ly as a preventative; and I think no one will difpute the expediency of fuch a treatment, nor have the leaft doubt of preventing a fe- cond effufion. I will affirm, that if a restora- tion of all the whole round of fecretions, and all the various fluids, being duly prepared by attenuation, &c. is fufticient to prevent an un- natural effufion or fecretion in the abdomen or any where elfe, it fhall be prevented; but if the patients cannot fubmit to this operation, they may moft certainly be relieved in a good degree, if not totally cured, by electricity.— The method I have purfued in this cafe, is fim- o 162 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY ilar with the other; only I have given a great- er number of fhocks through the abdomen than any other part, but did not neglect to pafs more or lefs fhocks in all parts, efpecially on feveral of the firft days of electrifying. In electrifying for the dropfy, I have gene- rally given from forty to one hundred light fliocks in one day; but after five or fix days, have reduced the number gradually. But it muft be remembered, that in all cafes of elec- trifying, the age and ftrength of the patient mult be confulted; and further, that in all my prefcriptions, I have had invariable refpect to adults. N. B. I reftored three of the anafarfa at Ballfton pool, while they continued the ufe of the water internally, and it proved a great af- fiftant to the electric fhock. The fixed air, contained in the water, being rarified by the action of frictional heat, promoted by the gen- tle fhocks in great numbers, rendered tr^g fix- ed air more fermentative, and was evidently a great afliftant in the reduction of the drop- fy. Notwithftanding they had feverally ufed the water feveral weeks, they were not appa- rently bettered by it. The fame held true of electrifying for ulcers, tetters, fcrofula, in- flammations of a part, &c. the fliocks being conjoined with the pool-water, wrought won- ders in clarifying the blood of bad humours in a very fhort time, much fhorter than was ufual for ele&ricity to effect the fame cures INVESTIGATED. 163 with or without the affiftance of any other means. I fhould advife thofe, at leaft, who have an internal dropfy, and are difpofed to have it treated by electricity, to ufe the pool-water at Ballfton, at the fame time; to drink very free- ly of the mineral, and then, by great numbers of light fhocks, to rarify the fixed air taken in by the water. The fhock will open all the natural evacuations, feparate all coagulated, and accelerate and carry into the circulations any retained fluids. How much more fermen. tative the fixed air, being rarified; how much more power of operating agreeably upon the fluids, they being fufticiently attenuated,* and how much more powerful in propelling hu- mours, morbid affections, &c. towards the * It is this fixed air, received into the fyftem by the min- eral water, that produceth thofe effects fo fatal to people in a confumption. . The vefTels being languid and obftrufted in parts, in a great degree, cannot fuftaiu the action cf the fixed air upon the veffds and the fluids in the veiltla. The action of the air is not fuffi.ient to attenuate their morbid contents, and fo cany them off into the circulation, or elfe difcharge them : but inafpiuch as it rallies fnto afiion the ltfa obftructed particles till they fall upon an immovable oLltru:- tion, they ihereby augment the morbid redundancy upon thofe languid parts; the iffue is, nature finks under what it cannot fupport. But ltt the fhocks be firft given to clear thefe paflagts, and I apprehend no fuch Sanger. From fimilar caufea, we may infer the prefurnption of immetfing in cold water, and throwing the blood with a ftiong reflux upon weak and obftiudled vitals-—let fuch people efcape the cold bath. 164 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY proper evacuations ; being by its own rarifac- tion prefling towards all the extreme parts, and muft promote the action of evacuations in every part. Hence the utility of conjoining this mineral in a dropfy, isfo far evident, that it muft leave a conviction on the mind of every judicious reader, capable of comparing ideas. Gout. The gout is a very difficult difeafe to cure. It may be always relieved, and fomerimc.- near- ly or quite reftored, by the different modes of treating it by electricity. The old practice of giving ftrong fliocks in the gout, is univerfally difcarded; it was a monftrous abfurdity, and difcredited electricity very much. Exceeding- ly light fhocks may be paffed upon the affected part; the design of them is to induce friction- al heat, and ftimulate the part affected. But a ftrong fliock will dilate and weaken; and this is oppofed to every rational intention of cure. Dr. Cavallo, in his medical electricity, ftates the mode of treatment lately adopted in Eng- land, and which is found to be a valuable im- provement in administering for the gout. They place the patient upon an infolating ftool, the affected part being covered with one or two thicknefles of flannel, and with a metallic point extract the fpark from the part affected; this fhould be repeated three feveral times in a day, and continued an hour at each time. But I do INVESTIGATED. 165 not think it expedient to depend altogether on the extraction of the fparks; but that light fhocks fhould be alternated with the extrac- tion of fparks, the more readily to difcharge the irritative contents of the dilated and weak- ened portions of veffels. As the gout exifts either in direct or indirect debility, high and constant infolations will be of undoubted utility. The infolation infepa- rable from the extracting of the fparks, may be, and undoubtedly is of fome benefit; but to make this fupernatural infolation any effen- tial intention of cure, it will be neceffary to per- petuate the application of this in vigoratingpow- er from day to day: for, notwithstanding it in- ftantly accelerates the circulations, by its enli- livening effects upon the fluids; yet it doth not restore, as hath been obferved, tone and dura- ble action, but by a fecondary effect, not a lit- tle similar to the tenfion acquired by the gentle electrifications, which is defcribed (vide page 67 and 63) as arising from frictional warmth. The extraction of the fpark may be confidered as having fome affinity to thefe secondary effects of the infolation and gentle electrifications. I think it expedient for people fubject to thefe paroxyfms to attend to thefe prefcriptions, and ufe the gentle fhocks and the artificial in- folations in their beft ftates of health, in order to restore the habit, and prevent the paroxyfms. The method, or rather practice of treating this difeafe fo temporarily, or at the term of the 166 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY paroxyfm, is, in my opinion, imprudent. To prevent one fit of the gout, goes farther to- wards a cure, than to relieve many. The gout being generally the production of the over-action of exciting powers, it requires a high degree of exciting powers to reach and effectually to affect the lower degree of excita- bility: but to raife this degree of excitement by a great proportion of an individual ftimu- lus, appears to me not fo agreeable as to ufe a combination of stimulants, efpecially thofe that confift in the various modes of applying elec- tricity. But I do not mean to exclude the af- fiftance of other ftimulating powers; but that in extraordinary cafes, or \ i.>!ent attacks of the gout, the molt powerful of all the other stim- ulants, viz. opium, fhould be conjoined. Dyfcntery. I doubt not my reader will think me romantic in introducing this difeafe, to be treated by elec- tricity. I am ready to confefs, that in all prob- ability, I fhould never have fuggefted the idea of electrifying for this difeafe, but for the im- portunity of one man. A certain Mr. Hunting- ton, at Ballfton pool, who had been exercifed with a vehement dyfentery, or bloody flux, for about fix days, and in great pain, urged me to give him a few lhocks, merely to eafe him of pain, (for he had obferved the fhocks to be almost an univerfal anodyne.) I, at f.rft thought, refufed; but as he was importunate, INVESTIGATED, 167 I finally gave him about twenty very light fhocks, through the feat of the pain in his bow- els, to his back; they directly purged him, and eafed his pain: but after a few hours, the pain increafed upon him: I electrified him as before; it purged, but with lefs blood than before.— This was repeated three or. four times, and he was reftored thereby, in thirty hours, or near- ly that time: I gave him only one dofe of weak laudanum befide. This experiment was ufeful to me, and many others, the next fummer, when that difeafe prevailed, and was epidemic and very mortal in the towns of Galway, Greenfield, Milton, and part of Ballfton. I then resided in Galway, where I had an opportuni- ty of a thorough investigation of the fact; and in about one hundred cafes, fufticiently demon- ftrated, that the gentle fhock, taken through the inteftines, was an infallible remedy againft this difeafe; which, at that time, refitted almost any other mean; infomuch that nearly two thirds, of infants in particular, fell victims to its fury. I was informed, that not a fingle child, at the breaft, furvived the difeafe, ex- cepting two that were brought to my machine. It was an unlucky circumstance, at that time, that I had no machine but one that was very large; the confequence was, the patients were all brought to me, and fome of them took cold in returning home, which procrastinated their cure. 168 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY This fpecific I immediately advertifed in a paper printed at Schenectady; but the doctors in the adjacent towns, either never faw it or did not pay any attention to it. But I was informed that Dr. Lyon, near Lebanon pool, accidentally came ncrofs one of the papers, and having a machine, immediately tried the experiment (for the fame d feafe prevailed there at that time) and had the pleafure of finding it to be no mistake; for he loft not another pa- tient, but directly cured ev ery one taken with the difeafe; who, notwithkanding, loft many before he made ufe of electricity. Thefe fpecimens of the inestimable benefit of electricity in a dyfentery, may fuffice to evince the propriety of ufing it in all the like cafes. I have never known it to fail of making a cure in any one fingle instance. My method hath ever been to pafs the fhocks from about the navel to the back, a little de- fcendingly; fometimes I have given twenty, and fometimes thirty or forty very light fhocks in the fame direction at one time. The effects that were apparent, have always been uniform- ly the fame in the bloody flux, viz. they would purge directly, and carry off an enormous quantity of blood in the firft ftool; but the ap- pearance of blood will be lefs and lefs every ftool, till all appearance thereof totally fub- fides. The electrification may be repeated twice or thrice a day; but then the number of mocks in one day ought not to exceed forty INVESTIGATED. lBg or fifty, in any cafe that I have feen; and thefe fhocks muft be fo light, that if a well man fhould take them through his arms, he would not feel them higher Chan his wrifts. Such a" degree of the fliook, is what I mean to have underftood to be a very light, or a gentle elec- trification. I have mentioned it in this place, becaufe it is of the laft importance that it be carefully attended to in this difeafe: and the more fo, if the patient is much exhaufted, or in the laft ftages of the difeafe, approaching near to death. Through good fortune, I did not lofe any by their taking cold, but it very much endanger- ed fome of their lives; wherefore I muft en- force the injunction in this place; be very care- ful of the leaft degree of coolnefs. Obferve, I do not fay cold; that point would be fatal; but if you feel cool in the leaft degreej you are wounded. This is the only inconvenience to be regret- ted, in the ufing of medical electricity. The blood is attenuated by the fliock, and thrown strongly upon the furface, the pores are expand- ed, and there is no refiftance to a cold from the leaft external coolnefs. The external tem- perature ought to be on a parallel degree of v/armth with the blood in the veffels, or near- ly that. But in five, fix or eight days after the fhocks are defifted, the pores will begin to aftringe, and by degrees refift the approach of cold as before* When a difeafe is removed, P 170 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY astringent medicines may be administered to restore the habit in a much fhorter time. I have fcmade ufe of the bark, elixir vitriol, brandy, &c. for bracers, after electrification; but fometimes opium anfwcrs a better intention. The gentle dyfentery, white or green purg- ings in children, are immediately relieved by the gentle fhock; it always regulates the di- gestion. 1 have given ten or twelve fhocks, in this difeafe, to a child of four weeks old; and that fingle electrification reftored the child to health. In the epidemic at Galway, I would not ufe any thing but the fhocks, until I fubftantiated their infallibiliy, and made it evident to many people, that they were a fure restorative, with- out any affifting mean whatever. But that I may do justice in every page, and to every fubject, it is neceffary to obferve, that none of thefe cafes were very far advanced; they were mostly recent ones; the patients were all able to go or be carried abroad. If coftivenefs preced- ed the difeafe, a cathartic fhould be given; for the fhocks are not a laxative, in the fenfe of a cathartic, but only a propellant of laxative contents; and that by fpringing the inteftines, the blood fecreted in the inteftines will be dif- charged, and a further effufion upon the intef- tines will be restrained; but without a purge, coftivenefs may remain, to the detriment of the patient. INVESTIGATED. 171 There may be a combination of complaints, in this or any other of the difeafes I have men- tioned, to be treated by electricity, which may make it neceffary to vary the manner of treat- ment by electricity; to conjoin different affift- ing medicines, &c. &c. all of which, muft be left to the obfervation and judgment of the e- lectrician, phyfician, &c. The ftrangury, that fo often accompanies the vehement dyfentery, is always removed by pafling a few light fhocks down the urinary paffages, Cholic. • That which confifteth of flatulency and wind, is relieved by pafling the fhocks through the bowels, in the fame manner as for the dyf- entery : fome of the laft fhocks fhould be brought on as high as the breaft, about mid- way, and paffed down to the lower part of the fpine. Thefe fliocks being paffed from above the region of the ftomach, will prevent puking; which will fometimes take place, if the fhock is paffed altogether below the region of the ftom- ach. Shocks given in this direction will purge, in the fame manner as they will in the vehe- ment dyfentery. I have given from ten to forty fliocks, on fuch occafions, and they have given all the relief that was neceffary, in the moft of cafes; fometimes I have added an in- ternal stimulant. When this difeafe is con- joined with vomiting;, the fhocks muft be brought on as high as tne fides of the neck, and iji MEDICAL ELECTRICITY paffed down to the lower part of the fpine, or back-bone; it will immediately check the puk- ing, and purge very freely. People that I have electrified in this difeafe, fome years paft, tell me that they have ever been lefs troubled with that complaint fince the electrification, than what they were formerly. I ufed the fhocks on one man, at Galway, whofe life was almost exhausted in one hour. It was a tremendous difcharge of blood, both ways, I directed the fhocks as Juft now defcri- bed, and the effect was an inftant ceffation of vomiting, but purged feverely for a minute or two. I rallied his ftrength with a dofe of opi- um; and a little of the bark put him on his legs very foon. The cholic that is attended with coftivenefs, muft be treated very differently. The fhocks effect nothing in diluting the denfe feces ; moreover, it is imprudent to pafs many fliocks on the inteftines in this situation; the confe- quence is, that the elafticity of the fhocks ir- ritates the inteftines, by fprin^ing them, while their contents are in a ftate io capable of cha- fing and wounding this part, which, of all the fyftem, is fuppofed to be molt irritable, and moft eafily inflamed. Wherefore, all the ufe that can be had of the fhock in this cafe, is, to accelerate the operation of the phyfic, when there appears to be any difficulty in its opera- ting. It is of great value in this particular cafe. Any perfon that only knows that gesticulation INVESTIGATED. »7J quickens the action of an emetic or cathartic, will want but little argumentation to convince him that the gentle fhocks claim a very great afcendency over any kind of gesticulation that any perfon may be capable of. Moreover, it is moft commonly the cafe, that people who need thefe helps, are not capable of action, or gesticulation, in any degree that will effentiai- ly affect the operation of phyfic. Hence elec- tricity claims confiderable merit in this partic- ular refpect. When it appears neceffary to ufe electricity with an intention of forcing the action of a cathartic in obftinate cafes, the proper meth- od will be, to pafs about eight or ten fhocks at one time; and if the cafe it, urgent, or the cir- cumftances of the patient demand immediate relief, to repeat about the fame number of fliocks, once in twelve or fifteen minutes, till the phyfic fhall operate. The phyfic may be given about fifteen minutes previous to the first electrification. When there is any difficulty in keeping an emetic or cathartic in the ftomach, the fhocks being paffed from about midway of the os iter- -■ num, or breaft bone, to the lower extremities of the fpine, will prevent their coming up pre- maturely—the fliocks turned down the peref- taltic motion. It is impoflible, however, to prevent, if it were ncccfl'af y, the action of an emetic by giving the fhocks downward; bur its cmiflion from the ftomach will be rapid for I? 174 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY a fhort time, and then it will act cathartically. I have frequently known a dofe of emetic tar- tar to produce all this in five-and-twenty or thirty minutes, by the affiftance of thirty or forty light fhocks: but in forcing the emetic to throw up from the ftomach more powerful- ly, I have paffed the fhock from juft under the region of the ftomach to the fide of the neck: When this action was fufficient, I would turn the fliock downward, as before mentioned, and it will purge in a few minutes, &e. Aflhma. I am not certain that this difeafe can be finally cured by the fhocks. But one thing I am very certain of, and that is, it will give inftant relief in a fit of the aflhma, and will throw it off for that time. My experience goes no further than juft to underftand thus much of the ufe of the electric fhocks, in this cafe* One perfon, who had been conftantly troub- led with this difeafe for years, was free from it almost entirely during one year, by taking about thirty fhocks at one time. The circum- stances have always been fuch, that I have had no opportunity of making a thorough experi- ment: Moreover, the great difficulty there will always be, till people grow more rational, to perfuade them to that degree of precaution that would be neceffary to make a fair experi- INVESTIGATED. !/5 ment, or finally to determine whether a pro- cefs of electrification would avail to eftablifh health. Without the moft fcrupulous atten- tion, many colds would intervene, and would render all attempts to effect a cure abfolutely abortive. The manner of electrifying in this cafe is, to pafs the gentle fhocks from the right fhoul- der to the left fide, juft under the left arm : about fifteen or twenty may be given at one time; but fometimes lefs will fuflice to throw off a fit of the aflhma. This is a cafe that merits a treatment by the artificial infolation. If any perfon hath leifure and abilities to make the experiment for a few months, I doubt not but that they would find their advantage in fo doing. As electricity feems to be the laft and only refort to which people can apply with any hope of ultimate fuccefs, in this difeafe, it would feem prudent to give it a fair trial. I think a lengthy infolation, alternated with the gentle frictional electrifications, would at leaft go ve- ry far in removing an aflhma, as well as many other cafes of obstinate debility* To make the experiment in a proper manner, will require an infolating bed, or a bed Handing upon glafs, that the patient may fleep in the plus electrifi- cation, and not depend on what may be per- formed in the day time only. 176 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY Dit:i\ irs. This difeafe hath been, and is yet, very of- ten fatal under ancient practice. Tlicold meth- od of treating it by abforbents, is now totally difcarded, excepting by a few obftinate antique practioners, who value their antiquated edu- cation more than the lives of their patients; who arc too wife to learn any thing, and, I had almost faid, to know any tiling. But, happiiy for mankind, it is now known to be eafily re- moved, by treating with di flu fables, fuch as promote fecretions, perfpiration, &c. The exceffive action of the kidneys in fecre- ting urine from the blood, is removed or pre- vented by promoting the fecretion of the per- fpirable vapour: and if you have nothing that wiil produce this effect easier and quicker than the electric fliocks, you may ufe them, and they will anfwer the purpofe; or if all other mean's prove ineffectual, yet will not this mean. The lhocks may, and muft be pafled in every part of the fyftem daily, till the difeafe is removed, and health reftored. About forty fhocks may be daily given; but they muft be of the moderate kind. When this difeafe is fuffered to remain long, indigeftion will be very likely to enfue*, and coftivenefs, which will require fome other aid to remove, besides electricity. But, even in this ftate, it is not always fafc to depend on phyfic altogether: it will fometimes prove fa- tal; as alfo in a dry bilious cholic. In thL INVESTIGATED. fituation, recourfe muft be had to a peculiar diet, and that of the foluble kind, fuch as meat broiled on fire-coals, and mutton broth; and, in a defperate cafe, the entrails of a fheep, boil- ed to a pulp-like confiftence, and with a trifle of fait, will anfwer an excellent purpofe in healing, flieathing and promoting, and indu- cing an eafy action in the paffages, and will make a repetition of cathartics unneceffary. But what is the ultimatum of treating a con- firmed ftate of coftivenefs with common pur- ges? True, they grant a temporary relief, but with more and more difficulty, as the repeti- tion is made; and that, becaufe they diminifh the already too fcanty nutriment of the fyftem. This general deficiency effects a particular de- ficiency, at leaft fometimes, of bile, panereatic juice, gaftiic fluid and saliva, a due degree of which are neceffary to fupport the digestion. The difcharge of the digeftive fluids into the ftomach, duodenum, &c. may be promoted by the fhocks; but to continue a diminution of their fource is imprudent: A better method appears to be, to fupply the moft nutricious food poflible, and that of the easiest digestion, foluble and healing to the bowels'; fuch as is above recommended, with brandy and molaff- es for constant drink. Let this regimen be conftantly obferved, and gentle fhocks repeat* ed daily, till the patient is reftored to health from a diabetes, or confirmed coftivenefs in 178 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY any cafe. This cafe demands particular atten- tion to a fteady degree of warmth. Urine fuppreffed—bloody and hot. I have ufed the electrical fhocks in all thofe different ftates or ftages, and have known of no fingle instance of failure of immediate relief, or of relief in a few hours, and always terminated in a radical cure. The manner of pafling the fliocks has been from about midway of the fpine, or back bone, to the infide of the thigh, fo as to bring the fhocks down the urinary paffages. Some fhocks may be paffed through the lower belly to the back, about ten in each direction; and if the cafe is .urgent, they may be repeated twice, and fometimes thrice, in one day. Some European authors have recommended the fhocks in the gravel; but this, I think, muft have been a mistake, fuch as 1 have, in my firft practising in electricity, made myfelf. People have applied to me for affiftance in the gravel, as they called it; but I have reftored many fuch gravels by fifty or fixty light fhocks, and might have had the reputation of work-. ing what would have been, to a man of fkill, a miracle: but I immediately told my patients, in thefe cafes, that it was no gravel, but a ftrangury, after 1 had once difcovered my mif- take; and fuch hath been the miftakes among thofeEuropean electricians. Notwithstanding,! think it advifeable to electrify in a gravel, in order, at leaft, to prevent an increafe thereof, INVESTIGATED. 179 and to fupprefb irritation and inflammation. Moreover, the fhocks may be of further ufe; they may be neceffary to pave the way for voiding the gravel from the bladder of urine, not only by removing irritation from the blad^ der and urethra; but alfo, by expanding or di- lating the urethra, the paffage is rendered more capable of carrying off thofe denfe bodies* But to fuppofe the fliocks to act as a refolvent up- on the gravel, is to me unaccountable; and I am determined to affert nothing for a fact, in this book, but what my fenfes have been wit' nefs to; what is but conjecture, 1 have explain- ed as conjecture^ offered my reafons, and fub- mitted it to the judgment of mankind* Although I cannot believe that the electric fhocks act as a refolvent on a consistence fo denfe as thefe bodies are known to be; yet I am convinced, from very many inftances of demonstration, that they are an infallible diu- retic, as well as a diaphoretic. I know it is unaccountable, yea, and laughable with fome people, (who, by the way, are totally ignorant of the whole matter) that the fame medicine fhould be reprefented as capable of producing contary effects. I have prefcribed the electric fhocks for the diabetes, or an exceffive evacu- ation of urine:—now I am recommending the fame medicine as an excellent fpecific to reltore a deficiency of urine. " We are not acquaint- ed with fuch fpecifics, nor fuch contradictory prefcriptions!" Very well; neither have you 186 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY been acquainted with medical electricity. This is that mantle of charity I have caft over the faculty, (vide c. i, p. 62.) Nothing but a want of information on the fubject of medical elec- tricity, can exculpate phyficians from a crime, dark as the grave, and horrid as murder! But there is no contradictions in my prefcriptions Of this fpecific, of its being Capable Of remov- ing a diabetes, by duly mixing the fubftances Of the blood, and attenuating the fluids gene* rally, and affecting the whole round of fecrefc tions, and promoting a due degree of action upon them all; and confequently of fecreting the perfpirable vapour. Thefe united produc- tions muft check a profusion from the blood in the kidneys, and io restore a diabetes. And as to fuppreflion of urine by ftrangury, irrita- tion or fpafm, or ahy kind of obstruction (ex- cepting the ftone or gravel) either upon the ureters or the urethra, the dilation of the fhock, its attending effect, is equal to the remo- val of obstructions of one defcription; and its ftimulating frictional warmth and rarifaction is equal to another. And as to a deficient ac- tion in the kidneys, in fecreting from the blood a due quantity of urine, this is again a de- ficiency of fecretion; and the fame remedy that cures a diabetes, by acting upon the fecretory veffels, will alfo, by the fame actions, reftore a deficiency of fenfation in the kidneys. I am not the only one who has difcovered the pow- er of the electric fhocks, over a deficiency of INVESTIGATED, 181 fecretions. Dr. Cavallo afferts, that the fhocks promote fecretions universally. Certainly they muft have this effect, inafmuch as they do mix, attenuate and rarify the whole mafs of fluids, and, at the fame time, expand and dilate the minute veffels, every where in the fyftem: be- ing conducted, as hath been demonftrated, through the veffels every where, in every part where there is fluids to conduct, this fubtile ef- fluvia will fly and expand, dilate and attenu* ate upon the whole mafs of fluids, and thro'- out the whole vafcular fyftem. Who can but exclaim, what a mean of health! what a pref- ervation of life has been ignorantly proftitu* ted to mere amufement! N. B. I have been credibly informed, that when a ftone, which had been extracted from the urinary bladder, had been put into a veffel of Ballfton pool water, or that of Saratoga pool, which is fimilar, that the mineral proved a refolvent upon the ftone, and diffolved it in a fhort time: but there is need of caution in ufing the water in fuch cafes. During a fum- mer which I fpent at Ballfton pool, a man liv- ing in that place afked my opinion concerning the ufe of electricity, and of the pool water, for the ftone in the bladder: I replied, that electricity was ufelefs, and that the mineral was fuch a powerful diuretic, that I thought there was danger of prefling the ftone into the neck of the bladder, and might have a bad tendency; at any rate, the water ought to be ufed mode- »&2 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY rately. He faid fome doctors had advifcd his father to the ufe of the mineral in that cafej and to drink all he could of it, and his father had come to his houfe to try the experiment; I again cautioned him to ufe it moderately at firft; for I wras very certain there was danger of a very free ufe of fo powerful a diuretic, in his father's situation. But it appeared that his father followed the counfel of his doctors: he drank fome quarts of the water, as 1 was in- formed, in a very little time; 1 think in about one hour; but it proved true that the ftone was preffed into the neck of the bladder, and no means could be found to refift it. The man continued a few days in great agony, and then expired- I have mentioned this fact, for a cau- tion to any perfon, who may apply to the fame mineral in a fimilar circumstance, that they ufe the water but very moderately at firft, and take time to make the experiment in a more judicious manner. Menfes obflrucled, &c. A sudi>en obstruction from cold, or any other accident, may be reftored, moft common- ly, by a fingle electrification. About forty fliocks, of confiderable force, in a firm consti- tution, have often given complete relief: they fhould be paffed, fome through the uterus from the fore-fide to the back, fome from the back to the infide of the thigh, and from all round the waift to the feet. I have known this ope* INVESTIGATED. 183 ration, in a sanguine habit, to give relief be- fore they left the machine. But in a penury of blood, languor, deficien- cy of excitement, &c. the cafe is quite diffimi- lar, and requires more patience to reftore : It calls for all the mental and animal ftimulants or application of remedy to be made, both to body and mind, in fome particular cafes. If it is caufed by difappointment in love, intenfe grief, causing a dejection of fpirits, the applica- tion muft be made to the mind, if possible. U the object of defire cannot be obtained, the unhappy fuff'erer fliould be removed to a place and company, where there is no knowledge, no mention of his name; fhe muft not be fuf- fered to live in the houfe, nor walk a road where fhe had ever enjoyed his company. Thefe precautions and necessary pre-requifites being attended to, let her have lively compa- ny, frequenf entertainments and amufements, often riding on horfeback and in carriages, generous wines, nutricious foluble diet, and, if they can be had, frequent infolations; and, to make a completion of cure, let her be electri- fied, but very lightly, in the fame directions above named, and repeat it from time to time, but especially at the periodical times, as nigh as may be, that the artificial effort may join hand with the natural, in producing the desired effect. When a dejection of fpirits hath had no hand in inducing a fuppreflion, &c. there will 1&4 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY be lefs difficulty in the cure. Dr. Cavallo, in treating of this cafe by electricity, fpeaks very confidently and emphatically ; and intimates, if I remember right, that there is no failure of cure, under a proper treatment, by the electric fliocks. From what 1 have obferved in a long practice, I have reafon to believe that very few, if any *cafes of partial, or even total fup- preflion of menstruation, would be able to re- fift the power of the fliocks in remedying this complaint : but when it has been of long con- tinuance, more time will be occupied in eftab- Jifhing a due action in the part; indeed, the intention of cure muft be directed to the whole fyftem, to increafe the vital ftimulus of blood, no enliven the mind, and animate the functions both of body and rnind, as much as poflible. The electric fhocks keeping the fluids duly at- tenuated, and every passage of evacuation open and free, the eftablifhment of health will be complete, as foon as the quantity of vital ftimulus is fufficiently increafed. If the fupernatural infolation is of any ufe in any cafe, no one will doubt the propriety of making ufe of it in this: It appears to me, to be peculiarly adapted to affift in this deficient action. There can be no doubt, but that an agent fo invigorating, fo stimulating and enli- vening to the motion of the fluids, muft, by a fuitable application and continuation, produce a very valuable effect in removing a ftate of deficient excitement, and in eftablifhing health INVESTIGATED. 185 from any difeafe which hath originated or doth exist in debility, either of the direct or of the indirect kind. King*s Evil. I must intrude my catholicon upon the ftage a little longer, that its abilities may be further exhibited : nor fliall I blufh to own, (and that in the face of thofe who fay, a medicine that is good for every thing, is good for nothing) that there are feveral difeafes not yet named, in which electricity is an admirable fpecific. If you can find nothing more fafhionable, or infallible, in curing this fcrofula, than the e- lectric fhock; or if you can ftoop to a mean fo fimple, and but little in fafliion and eftima- tion ; or if you will not be aihamed to obtain your cure fo cheap und eafy, then you fhall be directed to an infallible cure. Firft, the part on which the fliocks are to be applied, muft be warmly covered, and that steadily continued until perfectly well. The fhocks muft be paf- fed through the feat of the difeafe : they muft be, at least fome of them, fmart fhocks, in or- der to feparate the coagulations, accelerate the contained fluids, and dilate and open the paf- fages, that fo the circulations may be agah? performed. I need not fay much on this head ; only that the part be. kept warm, and indeed the whole body, and about twenty or thirty fhocks daily to be given from juft above the feat of the difeafe, and paffed down to the 186 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY feet. I would have them paffed to the feet, that the whole mafs of fluids may be clarified, and that there may be no danger of any fud- den itiurn of the difeafe. Continue this daily till well. Cancers. A great part of the world of mankind have been bulled in combating cancers : thoufands of nostrums, and infallible cures, have been in- vented ; and almost any body you meet on the road, can prefcribe a certain cure for this obftinate and dangerous difeafe* It is not my intention to advife any body to throw away any infallible remedy, for elec- tricity ; nor any valuable fpecific, that may aid or affift in the cure; nor abfolutely to be- lieve that electricity can cure all forts of can- cers, without the affiftance of fome other medicine. But as it fo happens, that among all thefe nostrums, and infallible fpecifics, fome people are fo unfortunate as to fall victims to this difeafe, I hope I may be pardoned in recom- mending electricity to thofe who are employed in the art of healing, as a very valuable afiift- rng mean ; and I had almoft refolved to fet it as high as a bunch of roots and herbs, and fo to call it an infallible cure for cancers. But there is a difficulty in monopolizing it as a noftrum ; every body will know my medicine, and the whole world will turn quacks. I may INVESTIGATED. 187 as well divulge the fecret, and let my neigh- bours have the benefit of it, if there is any to be had. It will be readily conceived, that if the elec- tric fliocks do, in their action upon fluidities, veffels, &c. feparate the coagulated particles of blood, accelerate the retained fluids, and dilate and open the paffages, that they ought to be efteemed one of the moft valuable difcutients on earth : not only becaufe they are the moft powerful; but from a confideiation of their being as eafily applied to any internal part, as to the external. This gives them an infinite preference to any other difcutient known in the world. The utility of the electric fliocks, in difcuf- fing a fcrofulous tumour, or virulent fore, is fo obvious, that I need not ufe importunity to perfuade any perfon to put it to actual exper- iment. The method I have made ufe of myfelf has been, to pafs the fliocks through the feat of the cancer, to repeat the electrification daily ; or elfe, once in two days, to give fometimes ton, twelve, fifteen or twenty fliocks each time. About one fhock in twenty fhould be raifed to a ftrong degree, the more furely to difcufs and carry off the retained fluids, and thorough- ly to break up the feat of the humours ; but the remainder of the fliocks may be light, The ftrong fhocks will feparate the coagula- tions, and dilate the paffages ; and the reft, 188 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY being light, will be fufficient to propel off the morbid humours. In electrifying for a cancer, as well as for a king's evil, it is beft to pafs many fliocks through every part of the fyftem, and tho- roughly attenuate the blood : keep the body continually warm, that the perfpiration may not be interrupted, but that the humours may be cleanfed, and the blood totally clarified of the fcrofula. If the cancer is in or about the head, then the head muft be warmly covered, and the face, fo far as to keep it in a perfpiration. Do not dream of making a cure, unlefs thefe in- structions are rigidly attended to. Do not fay, as many will, "I am not apt to take cold." This has been the eternal difgrace of electrici- ty, and will continue fo to be, unlefs people can be perfuaded to be all attention, to be con- tinually upon their guard, that not the leaft degree of coolnefs approaches them for a mo- ment. I have ufed electricity on feveral cancers : the firft was on myfelf. Suffering much pain, by various applications, and all to no good ef- fect, 1 began to defpair of a cure: But, having obferved the effect of the electric fhocks upon other kinds of fores, after fome reflection, I was determined to make the experiment on myfelf. (This was about the firft of my prac- tice.) Accordingly, I took fifty very light fliocks, directly through the cancer; afterT INVESTIGATED. 189 wards I took about twenty daily, mostly very light. This I continued ten or twelve days: Then I defifted as many more days ; by which time I faw the cancer was nearly well; and I have not been troubled with it fince, which is about eight years. But this application was made in three or four months after it was dis- covered to be a cancer. The fecond cafe was a young man from Al- bany, whofe name has flipt my memory. He called on me at Ballfton pool. He had what is called a fpider, on his face, but a recent one: its head was not larger than a pea; but it was evidently a cancer, from the fymptoms of fym- pathy, which he faid were like a flinging, dart- ing from its feat round about his face. To be fhort, he was electrified a few times, and it totally difappeared, and every fenfation of it. The third was a lady, on a visit from the ci- ty of New-York, to her friends in Claverack. Hers was of the former defcription, only about the fize of a large bean, accompanied with the former fymptoms; and was a cancer, in the judgment of different phyficians, who had feen it in New-York. While fhe tarried, I electri- fied it three or four times, on different days ; and it was almoft reduced before fhe left the place. I have electrified feveral others in an acci- dental manner ; and the fhocks always abated the irritation, fmarting, and uncomfortable fenfations of the cancer: But not having an J 90 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY opportunity of making a thorough trialupon thofe that were bad, and were very malignant, I cannot avouch for the ultimate effect of elec- tricity, in all cafes and ftages of a cancer. Doctor Cavallo, in his medical electricity, states the treatment of a very bad cancer, on the breaft of a woman, in England, which re- fitted all medical aid for a long time, and was like to prove fatal. At length, a certain gen- tleman propofed to try the experiment of treat- ing it by electricity. Accordingly, the trial was made; and the confequence was, that the fenfation of pain immediately abated, the can- cer difcharged freely for a time, and the parts began to contact and heal; and, when Caval- lo wrote, the cancer was (and that contrary to the expectation of the gentleman wdio attend- ed it) likely to get entirely well. I have not that author's writing by me at this time, or I would copy their manner of treat- ment, by electricity. Cavallo mentions their extracting the electric fpark from the cancer, which proved very beneficial: But they difcov- ered an effential difference between extracting the fpark a by fteel point, and by a wooden one. The wooden point, if I remember right, would irritate,* or in fome manner would leave a disagreeable fenfation, which did not facili- * If the wooden point tended mote to irritate and ir,flame the part, furely it would be the btft inftrument to extia& the fpark by, when it is intended to promote iifhimmation and fuppuration. INVESTIGATED. tate, but rather backened the cure; but the fteel point was quite different, and had a very falutary effect upon the cancer. Thefe points muft not be fharp. But I cannot difcover any caufe for the ex- traction of the fpark producing any effect more conducive of cure, than the gentle fhock. The action of extraction fprings the mufcle whence it is extracted, and confequently accelerates the motion of the fluids in that particular part; and fo will the fhocks, in a manner, as I think, more agreeable: For, let the fpark be extract- ed by what instrument it will, it doth tend, more or lefs, to inflame the part: And if the promotion of inflammation anfwered any good purpofe, then the point that was moft condu- cive of inflammation, would have had the beft effect; but the contrary of all this proves true, by their own confeffion. Wherefore, it is the gentle fhocks, or thefe chiefly, which produce the valuable effects not only on all kind of ma- lignant ulcers, (which Cavallo afferts they will heal) but alfo on cancers. There is another method of ufing electricity, not yet mentioned-1—a method I have invented for healing of fore and inflammatory eyes, and fome other flight complaints; and that is, by blowing what I have named the aura, upon the part affected. I have named it aura, be- caufe its appearance refembles the aurora-bore- alis, or northern light, or the appearance of the tail of a comet. The fenfation of it is 191 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY cold, as a cold northern wind, when it falls upon any part of the naked furface of the body, and is luminous. I have blown it upon a burn from a hot iron ; and it hath immedi- ately eradicated the fire from the part. I have ufed it on the eyes, when fore, and having a fenfation of being filled with fand; and it gives relief in one minute; I have never ufed it upon a cancer that was corroded, nor on any other; though, from its effects on fores, I think it may anfwer a valu- able purpofe: but inafmuch as the part muft be uncovered, in order to make the applica- tion, it muft be done in a warm, very warm room, efpecially if it be within a few days of the perfon's taking fhocks, or elfe they.v^ill take cold by being uncovered. The manner Of performing the operation is thus: Take a metallic rod, or the largest kind of wire; let One end be brought to a point, and the other end, by a hook, connected with the prime conductor: the pointed end muft be brought within an inch, or two inches, of the part on which the aura is to be diffufed. If the operation is to be made on the eye, great care muft be had that the point is not ftruck int(o the eye: the perfon's head muft be fteadi- ed by a careful hand, and fpectators kept at a diftance from the operator. It will often make a perfon fneeze; on which occasion they muft be cautioned to throw their heads on one fide INVESTIGATED. '93 of the pointed inftrument. When this is blown upon an eye, it will caufe the lachrymal to difcharge freely; this is fuppofed to be done by the aftringency of the aura, in contracting the parts. It may be obferved, that the aura is not an expanfion of elementary fire, but fo great a denfity, as to render it cold; which is one rea- fon of my fuppofingcold to confift in a denfi- ty of elementary fire. After the body of humours in a cancer is fufliciently difcufled, I think it is probable that the aura, diffufed freely upon the part, muft contribute considerably in cleanfing and healing the fore. The aural diffusion is kept up by a continu- al turning of the cylinder, or constant promo- tion of friction. The machine fhould be large: Beft of all to be carried by water-works. A cancer that is thoroughly formed, and virulent, will require fome months to complete a cure; wherefore, much patience muft be ex- ercifed by the operator, as well as by the pa- tient. N. B. I fhould have mentioned, that the pointed end of the aural rod (for fo I call it) muft be fupported by a goofe-quill, either bent round the rod, or the rod inferted through the end of the quill, a waxed thread being firft drawn lightly round the end of the quill, to prevent fplitting quite to the end. The fire, or effluvia, will not pafs off upon the quill; and 194 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY the quill may be taken in hand, within two inches of the rod, and held to the part in- tended. Quinfy. The electric fhocks are an effectual and fud- den cure for the quinfy. Bring on the fliocks a little above the affected part, and pafs them down to the lower extremities. If it is done in the firft ftages, they will carry it off at once: If in the laft ftages, they will break it immedi- ately, by the dilation of the fhocks, ftriking into the fuppurated matter. I have ufed the fhocks freqUentlv on the quinfy, and have ever found gentle shocks to anfwer the purpofe; and the fhocks hardly ever need repeating more than twice or three times: ten or fifteen are fufficient for one time. Let the part be covered. Sore throat, inflammatory fore throat, can- ker, &c. in the throat and bowels, may all be aflifted, and finally cured, by gentle electrifi- cations through the part, and covered warmly* Vertigo. Vertigo, Or fwimming in the head, pro- ceeds from a redundancy of blood, caufed by the over-action of the afcendens aorta. To prevent or cure, let ftrong fhocks be paffed from the fides of the neck, quite down to the feet. The fhocks will reftore an equilibrium of the circulations* and throw off the redundan- INVESTIGATED. "■95 cy from the head. Six or eight pretty ftrong fliocks are generally fufficient to effect this. Head-Ache. Hi ad-ache may proceed from feveral cauf- es: from compreffion of a part; from irrita- tion of the nerves; from a foul ftomach, and from a redundancy, either with or without u- riverfal inflammation. When it proceeds from a redundancy, it may be cured as vertigo, juft mentioned. If it proceeds from compreffion, it may be helped by parting fhocks through the head, to the feet. If it proceeds from ir- ritation of the nerves, it may be helped by giving a few light fhocks upon the nerves uni- verfally, down the back of the head, to the feet, &c. and repeated once or twice in a week, for fix or eight months. This will be as fliort a time as may be expected, to remove a pain in the head, commonly in the brain and back part of the head, proceeding from nervous ir- ritation. If it proceeds from a foul ftomach, a puke is the beft remedy. There is a periodical head-ache, which will commence with the rifing fun, and continue till it is part: the meridian. This I have feveral times cured, when it had continued for months, and had become very tedious : indeed, I have never failed to cure the pain in a few hours, by fifteen or twenty pretty ftrong fhocks, from the head to the feet. Sometimes the original pain will be removed; but the patients, 196 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY by taking cold, will have a pain through the whole head, and will fuppofe the fliocks have done them hurt ; but after the cold has left them, they have found their heads well enough. Deafnefs. When deafnefs is caufed by colds—by a re- tention of the cerumen auris, or ear-wax, in the glands of the ear, caufing a rigidity, dry- nefs, hardnefs, and confequently an impercep- tibility of vibration of found upon the mem- brana tympani, or obstructs the communication to the interior membrane of the auditory nerve, all which may happen by a deficiency of fecretions in the glands of the ear ; or if it is caufed by torpor, compreffion, &c. on the auditory nerve; in all thefe cafes, electricity may be fuppofed to be ufeful. It is ufeful to remove the cold that caufes the deafnefs : it is ufeful to promote a difcharge from the glands of the ear, and thereby to bring on moifture on the drums of the ear, and confequently a fufceptibility of found ; and, in cafe of torpor on the auditory nerve, to recover a fenfibility, or remove compreffion, inaction, kc. Before a fingle fhock is given, let the head be warmly covered ; then light fliocks may be paffed through the head from ear to ear. Ten, fifteen, or twenty light fhocks may be given in one day, and continued till hearing is re- ftored. After electricity is defifted, wafti the head with brandy, daily, and leave off the INVESTIGATED. *97 covering of the head by little and little, left the perfon take cold. Sometimes, there will be a ftoppage in the ear, by a denfe body of ear-wax : The belt method to remove this, is to fyringe with warm water repeatedly, and flop the ear with. black wool- Inflammatory Eyes. I have always had great fuccefs in treating inflammatory eyes, with very light fhocks, paiiecl from all round the eyes, to the back of the neck, and fome paffed down lo the feet. I have given forty, fifty and fixty in one day; but they were almost imperceptibly light. The aura is of lingular ufe in this cafe alfo. Any perfon ufing the electric fhocks upon their bead, and efpecially upon the face, muft abfo- lutely keep in the houfe,or be blinded with cov- ering over their faccs,when they go into the air. 1 reftored a daughter of General Patterfon, who had been blinded totally with inflamma- tion ; it occupied but five or fix days, during which time, 1 ufed the gentle fhocks, and the aura twice a day. It was not more than fix days, before her vision was able to receive the brilliancy of meridian day with eafe, and per- fectly tranfparent.. Film. I have intirely a new method of removing a film, or rather of fuppreffing inflammation* 198 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY that hath fo embarraffed the removal of films from the eyes. You will fufpect I make ufe of electricity to effect this fuppreffion of inflam- mation, fince I have recommended it as an excellent fpecific in removing inflammations from the eyes. There are many methods of operating upon the film ; but vain attempts to fupprefs in- flammation have been the difgrace of the prac- tice. But that difficulty is now to be fur- mounted : electricity, by the gentle fliock, and by the diffufion of the aura upon the eyes, is the agent to produce this effect. It muft be ufed in the fame manner, and under the fame degree of warmth, as prefcribed for inflammation in the eyes. , Purges, in fome cafes, are ufeful, and it is expedient to adapt the regimen to the common method in all fuch cafes. I have commonly ufed the luna cauftic, but would electrify one day at leaft before the ap- plication of the cauftic; fometimes I have touched the eye lightly, twice a day, and gave 1 a few light fhocks foon after, and fometimes , ufed the aura: by this procefs, a film may al- ways be removed, and the inflammation kept off, or it will be but temporary, exifting a lit- tle time after each particular application of the cauftic to the eye. INVESTIGATED. Gutta Serena. Happily for mankind, a remedy for this kind of blindnefs is now difcovered, and very generally known in Europe, if not in America. Wefley, Graham, Cavallo, Lovett, and all that have had any confiderable experience in electricity, are high in the opinion of its ufe- fulnefs in the gutta fcrena, and in blindnefs from fome other caufes. Wefley writes of a cure of blindnefs by gutta ferena, of twenty- four years Handing, performed altogether by electricity. I am not fully convinced that the fame de- gree of tranfparency can be induced, that was natural before the blindnefs happened, efpe- cially when the blindnefs has been of long Handing. That I may reflect the moft light on the fubject in my power, I will briefly relate my fucceffes in the treatment of feveral cafes of blindnefs, by electricity ; and if it appears that my statement of facts contains any exagge- rations, any perfon is welcome to rectify my miftake, in this or any other instance, in the public papers. There are many cafes of partial blindnefs that I have reftored, which would be too te- dious to mention ; and feveral I fliall not mention becaufe I cannot recollect their names and places of abode. The firft I fhall mention is Henry Barager*s cafe, who belonged to Kinderhook. His blind- %■ 200 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY nefs was induced by a furfeit ; his cafe wis a little lingular : he had flafhcs of light, fome- thing fimilar to what a perfon experiences in a dark night, from flafhes of lightning, which helped him to find a road, but with fome dif- ficulty : his vifion was a fpecimen of the fh'e of his mind ; he was wild, incoherent and be- wildered. The firft application for his relief, was made to Dr. Bartrop, an eminent physi- cian from London, in England, but now lives in Kinderhook, on the river Hudfon. the doctor, after examining his cafe, told him the moft likely means to help him would be elec- tricity ; and as his own machine was out of repair, he advifed him to apply to me at Chat- ham ; he accordingly came to me, in the fitu- ation before defcribed. I electrified him twice a day, by parting about twenty light fliocks from round about his eyes, and from every part of his head, to his feet, or lower extremities. This I repeat- ed three d:iys, and in about fix days it termU nated in a complete cure of his blindnefs, as well as the difordered ftate of his mind. A Mr. Burhite, of Schodac, two miles from the Hudfon, eighty-three years of age, totally blind three years : as I was in bufinefs within a few rods of his houle, at Miches-kill, having faid fomething of the ufe of electricity in cafes of blindnefs, Mr. Burhite's ftate was mention- ed : I propofed to try the experiment; but the people viewed my undertaking as a piece of INVESTIGATED. 201 prefumption and folly, he being blind by great age : the fecond operation I made, however, gave him a view of objects nigh at hand, and a third one enabled him to walk without a guide : his wife told me that he could diftin- guifli the hoops of a churn that flood on the oppofite fide of the room, and could take the tongs and light his own pipe, which relieved her of fome trouble. In a little time after, he rode ten miles to me in a fleigh, to obtain another operation by electricity, which was much to his damage ; for in riding home in a cold day, notwith- ftanding his covering, he took a fevere cold, by wdiich he nearly loft his fight again, as I was informed, but I have not feen him fince I made the laft operation upon his eyes. John Smith, of Chatham, about fifty-five years of age, could not fee to read, but could find a road : I treated by electricity, as in the other cafes, for feven or eight days, when his fight was rendered fo tranfparent that he could read the fmalleft print ; and he was about to fend the glad tidings to his family : in the prefence of one of his neighbours, he called for a fine needle and thread, that his neighbour might be a witnefs to his wife of the abfolute betterment he had received ; when he, without any difficulty, threaded the needle. George Alger, of the fame town, aged a- bout fifty-five years, was relieved from an opa- city of vifion, about the fame time. 202 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY A wife of Mr. Carter, Salifbury, ftate of Connecticut, was nearly totally blind of a gutta ferena, and that of the worft kind : her eye- balls red and inflammatory, were, in about thir- ty days, reftored almost to their former ftate of tranfparency, efpecially one of them ; (for the other eye was damaged, by too much air on the fide of her face, at a particular time) fhe could diftinguifh a man fifty or fixty rods diftance ; but my bufinefs in other places was fo urgent, I could tarry with her no longer : I left her with a view of completing the bufi- nefs at another time ; but, notwithftanding all the caution I could give her to avoid the air, fhe was perfuaded by fome of her neigh- bours to ride a few miles ; fhe gave way to their importunity, rode out, took a very bad cold, and alrnoft loft her fight again. I have mentioned thefe difaftrous effects of taking air too foon, that others in the fame situation may learn to fear and avoid fuch destruction. The wife of David Ring, of Chatham, and daughter of Mr. Bunker, packer or infpector 'of provisions, of Hudfon, and on the river of that name, twenty-eight years of age, could not fee to read at twelve years old, by rea- fon of dimnefs of fight ; fhe was totally blind- ed. I ufed the gentle fliocks upon her eyes, a few days, and fhe began to difcover objects pretty clearly ; fhe could obferve the fhadow. of a cat on the floor : but getting poffcffed of' the notion that fhe muft ride to "Hudfon, fU- INVESTIGATED. teen miles, on a pleafant day, to vifit her friends, efpecially a fick fifter, was met, as fhe entered the town, by a violent ftorm of thun- der, wind and rain, all in her face ; very foon a cataract fell into one eye, and with much difficulty, I was afterwards enabled to keep the other eye in a ftate whereby fhe could per- form bufinefs about hnufe. Thefe women being at home in their own families, as foon as their fight was bettered, could not be restrained from taking too much light, from viewing objects too minutely, were poffcffed of too < inch attention to bufinefs, which they ought totally to neglect. But in fpite of all thefe obstacles, they received better- ment, as above defcribed. I was myfelf repre- hensible, in fome of the firft inftances, in not guarding fufficiently againft light and cold, by which means my patients fometimes fuffercd. To be plain, it was long before I could learn the abfolute neceffity of avoiding the moft trifling degree of air or coolnefs ; and after I had been fufficiently taught it myfelf, I have often found it difficult to convince my patients of the truth of it. They have commonly learnt it by experience. When gutta ferena is induced by an opa- city, or vitiated ftate of the aqueous, vitrous and chryftaline humours, thereby intercepting the refractory rays of light upon the retina ; the gentle fhocks, parted upon the organ of fight, clarify thefe humours, and render them 504 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY tranfparent, and fo admit the rays of light to fall upon the retina, and vision is reftored: but when by inflammation, or the over-action of light upon the optic nerve, there is an in- fenfibility, torpor, compreffion, or a decay of the optic nerve, the cafe is more difficult, and it may, in fome inftances, be impoflible to re- ftore vifion, efpecially from a decay of the nerve ; and perhaps the optics may be fo wounded by a violent inflammation, as to pre* vent a restoration to fight. In electrifying for this fpecies of blindnefs, Dr. Cavallo directs that the fhocks be paffed from the back part of the head, to round about the eyes : at firft thought I could not approve of that direction of the fhocks, becaufe the fhocks determine the fluids in fome degree, and the morbid affections, in the fame direc* tion in which the fhocks are paffed upon the fyftem : but when I confidered that the evacu- ations from the head were in the fore part of the head ; and that, notwithftanding the quan- tity of humours might be increafed in the firft instance, about the eyes, &c. yet they were driven towards their proper evacuation, and might be fooner voided, than they could be by a contrary direction of the fhocks. My method hath been to pafs the fliocks mostly from the forehead, and round about the eyes, to the feet, in order to propel the opaque particles downward from the humours of the optics; which alfo tends to throw them INVESTIGATED. ibj off by external evacuations. But fliould I in future pafs the fhocks through the head, or fome of them, I fhall pafs them from the back part to round about the eyes. The number of fhocks, in one day, may be from eight to twenty; but in general they muft be fuch as I have defcribed to be the gentle mocks. I have ufed the aura in thofe cafes; but could not difcover any benefit from it; Drawing the electric fpark from round about the eyes, may be of fome benefit; but I fuppofe the gentle fhocks fupercede the neceffity of that opera- tion. Sometimes the vifion will become fo fud- denly tmnfparent, as to make a dark room ne- ceffary for the patient; and to be continued in it in the fame manner as for couching Or ex- tracting of a cataract. I am not able to determine, from all my practice in electricity, and treatment of many more cafes than thofe I have mentioned, whe- ther any cafe of total blindnefs, by gutta fere- na; can ever, be fo removed as to obtain ori* ginal clearnefs of vifion. So many impropri- eties and accidents have attended almost eVery cafe in which I have been employed, that I have hot had an opportunity of afcertaining the ul- timatum of a fair procefs. But this I am able to aver, that I have ufed it in no cafe of gutta ferena, (except one for fix days, blinded by a tremendous inflammation in the head and eyes' S 206 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY for months) without inducing fenfiblc better- ment, and that in proportion to the length of time I have attended. The lofs of fight, to any individual, is a lofs fo irreparable by any thing elfe in creation—the fituation fo gloomy and comfortless, that I have fpared no pains on this topic, to reflect all the light in my power, to facilitate and familiarize the fubject, in hope that it may be (and I am perfuaded it will be) a lasting benefit to my fellow-creatures. All that remains to be urged, in this cafe, is, that people take warning, by the inftances above recited, of the imprudence of people, when ufing electricity in fuch criti- cal and important cafes—that they learn wif- dom from others experience in folly.' To be fhort: during the time of electrifying the eyes, and for ten or fifteen days afterwards, the head and face muft be kept in a gentle perfpiration, or blood-warm. In order to prepare the pa- tient to bear the air fooner, you may give a few dofes of elixir vitriol, the bark, &c. and wafh the head and face in brandy frequently. N. B. It will be obferved, that 1 have deno- minated that blindnefs induced by great age, to be a fpecies of gutta ferena; and, by the way, this kind of blindnefs is moft eafily re- moved. Obferving this circumstance, in the courfe of my practice, hath caufed me to fay, that it was probable the time would arrive, when electricity would be in fuch general ufe, and fo well underftood, that there would be no INVESTIGATED. 207 ufe of fpectacles—that electricity would fuper- cede the neceffity; and that blindnefs by age would not, or need not be known. Cataracl. The electric fliock cannot remove a catar- act, efpecially a confirmed one: I have tried the utmost of its ufe; and could do no more than to feparate it, and break it into parti- cles, by giving fmart fhocks through the ball of the eye. Thefe particles would revolve in the eye into different attitudes, and gleams or fparks of light would occafionally dart through the floating particles ; but they could not be diluted and diflipated : But, with a prudent ufe of the fliocks, they may fometimes be help- ed a little, efpecially recent ones. I have made a good degree of betterment of one of eight years standing : but very few can receive any benefit from the fliocks, after the diforder is more than one year old. There is, undoubtedly, fometimes a degree of gutta ferena accompanying a cataract; and perhaps thofe that may be relieved, are reliev- ed by removing what partakes of the nature of gutta ferena only. But it is, neverthelefs, expedient to try the effects of a judicious treat- ment by the gentle electrifications, in all cafes of cataract. There is no doubt but that an electrification will prevent their growing worfe, and will remove any degree of opacity that de- pends on gutta ferena, accompanying cataract. 208 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY But the greateft bleffing accompanying elec- tricity, in removing a cataract, is, in fuppreff, ing the inflamation that fucceeds to the opera- tion of couching or extracting of the cataract. This, however, I have not put to actual exper- iment : but, from its known effect in fuppreff- ing inflammation, under the application of fe- veral caustics upon a film, and of its fuddenly removing any fettled inflammation in the eyes, as well as in any other part, we cannot help knowing that it muft be of ineftimable utility in fupprefling inflammation, which fo often and fo fatally fucceeds to the operation of couching or of extracting a cataract from the eye. Not only the fuccefs of the undertaking is fuf- pended upon this anti-febrile fpecific; but alfo the principles of humanity dictate, that, as the eafe and happinefs of the patient are alfo fuf- pended on the fame means, they cannot be neglected with impunity. Who would fuffer, for coffers of gold, what fome have fuffered, by inflammations that have fucceeded to the couching of a cataract! This fufferingmay now be uniformly avoided, by any one who will be at a little trouble in the ufe of the gentle elec- trifications, and be careful'to avoid that rock of deftruction, cool air, on which fo many fhip- wreck themfelves, when under the ufe of elec- tricity. In the furgical operations upon the cataract, I fhall recommend the treatment by electricity, to be made in the following manner, viz. Be- INVESTIGATED. 209 fore the commencement of couching, let the patient be electrified two days: at Jcaft fiflv il'.ocks fhould be given each d^y; and a~ to tl'.cir force, it muft be adapted to the ftrcr.A.\\ of the patient: If of a firm, robuft body, let the fhocks be ftrong. P,ds fome h-om the fides of the neck, and the reft fr^ni aft part:* of the head, to the feet. The fhock> on the neck fliould be the strongest: thev are eafier fuftain- ed by the patient in that part than in the head. This previous electrification wiil make it necef- fary that the operation be made in a very warm room, otherwife the patient will take cold while the operation is performing, which would be very detrimental. The next day after couch- ing, pafs ten or fifteen fliocks from the fides of the neck to the feet : On the fecond day, you may pafs the gentle rtiocks from all parts of the head and face, as for inflammatory eyes, to the feet. Let this be continued a few days, as occasion may require, till all danger of in- flammation is paft. The covering of the head and face may be removed by flow degrees, af- ter a few days; and astringents may be ufed, and the head and face wafhed with brandy: all which will enable the patient to bear the cool air the fooner. Fiflula Laehrymalis. This muft be treated much after the fame manner as inflammatory eyes, with refpect to the direction of the fhocks; only.it will s 210 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY be proper to pafs many of the fhocks from the back part of the head to the part between the eye-brows, and all round the eyes: This is in- tended to remove the obstructions, and reftore the quality and due fecretion of the lachrymal. A few days electrifying is fuflicient to remove this diforder, if the patient keeps fufficiently warm; but it will never cure, as 1 have expe- rienced, if the patient repeats the colds upon it. Involuntary motion of the Eye-lids. This trifling affair, any one may remove, who doth not wifh to retain it: The method will be, firft, to cover warmly, and then pafs twenty light fhocks daily from juft above the eye-brows to any part below the head: or it may be cured by extracting the electric fpark from the eye-lids; but the gentle fhocks are quicker in effecting the cure. I have always been able to remedy this little inconvenience in about fix or eight days, by giving fifteen or twenty light fhocks each day, and keeping the head and face well fecured from the cool air. Hemorrhage. Brown's elements of medicine contend, that emiflions of blood proceed from debility; even the emiflion from the lungs, in a peripneumo- ny, doth not take place previous to the induce- ment of indirect debility: and fo he will have it altogether to proceed from debility, either INVESTIGATED. 211 direct or indirect. I believe that emiflions pro- ceed from relaxation and extravafitation, in what is called flooding; and from extravafita- tion and redundancy in the head, from the nofe, and in the cheft,- kc. without inflammation; and from inflammation and redundancy in fe- ver and peripneumony. (Vide fever, chap. 3, page 97.) By knowing the nature of any particular fpecific, and at the fame time how the difeafe is affected by it, we may by thofe means be aflifted in forming a judgment of the difeafe itfelf: And, after having minutely afcertained the effects produced by the electric fhocks, I have been aflifted in forming a judgment of the nature of fome difeafes more accurately than could have been done without the knowdedge of electricity. Other fpecifics afford the fame fource of information. Thus it is well under- ftood, in modern times, that opium is a tonic, and affects the animal functions, by inducing tone and tenfion; that it obtained the name of fedative in the days of ignorance; that it rou- fes the circulations, and strengthens the veffels to embrace their fluids in due degree of force. The restoration of this medium of tenfion and action, proves an ample fpecific or remedy of emiflions, or of hemorrhage from the uterus, &c. Hence it is evident that the caufe was re- laxation; and, undoubtedly, that is accompa- nied by extravafitation. That it is attended, and promoted partly by extravafitation, is very 212 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY evident, from the confideration that the elec- tric fhocks do affift in restraining an exceffive hemorrhage, of this defcription: this can only be done by the fliocks, on the principle of an exifting extravafitation. This extravafitation may as well be called redundancy, taking place through a laxity of the part whence the hem- orrhage proceeds. It is counteracted by the tenfion of an opiate, by rallying the action of the whole vafcular fyftem, and fo prevents the fluids from crouding too forcibly upon this laxed portion of veffels, which veffels have, in a degree, loft the power of refiftance, of pro- pelling on, and of retention. The electric fhocks impart a partial relief, by reducing the fyftem to an equilibrium and tenfion. In fb far as this equality of action is induced in the vef- fels, in the fame proportion, or nearly fo, will the flux be restrained. From what hath been advanced, it is evident that both the fhocks and opium may be ufed to advantage, in this kind of hemorrhage : And it is equally evident, that the fhocks fliould be applied before the opium ; not only becaufe the fhocks would, if given laftly, def- troy the good effect of an opiate, as well as of any other tonic ; but becaufe the fhocks, paffing through the other parts of the veffels, avoiding the uterine, fo as to reduce their action, and bring them as nigh as may be to a par of ac- tion with the parts of the uterine veffels, will, as I think, facilitate an agreeable action of an INVESTIGATED. 213 opiate, and anfwer a very valuable indication of cure. N. B. The fhocks are recommended by Brit- ifh electricians. Emiffions of blood from the head, in the cheft, &c. without inflammation, or an increafed action of the heart and arteries, is a circumftance diflimilar to the former cafe: This is undoubtedly a redundancy on the part whence the emiflion proceeds, formed on the principles of an extravafitation, or an inequal- ity of the circulations. This is proveable, from the confideration of their being invariably cu- red by the electric fliocks only, and that very fuddenly too: but when the fhocks firft fpring the veffels, the blood that is ready to be dif» charged fpirts immediately out. But the blood being now attenuated, and every paffage equal- ly acceffible, an eafy circulation, and an equal- ity of circulations, immediately fucceed; and, confequently, there is no more preffure, no more local retention, and finally no more hem- orrhage from the part. In thefe cafes, and on thefe principles, I have cured the bleeding from the nofe, by paffing fmart fhocks from the fides of the neck to the feet, and light ones from the forehead to the feet. In the fame manner I have invariably re- ftrained bleeding in the cheft, (I care not what part) by pafling fhocks through the cheft, and every part of the fyftem. 2i4 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY N. B. Cafes of fudden ftrain, or wound by fome accident, may require fome other affift- ing means: but the fliocks, in all cafes, are a prerequisite, efpecially if the hemorrhage can- not be restrained without it. To make this familiar, I will relate an occurrence at Ballfton pool.—A young man, riding down a hill in a waggon, was, by fome accident, plunged from the fore part of the waggon to the ground, forward of the waggon, and two of the wheels ran over him, from his fhoulder on the right, to his hip on the left fide. Being nigh me, he was brought to my houfe, badly wounded, and hardly able to breathe, in great pain through his whole body. He was laid on a bed, nigh to the machine: I immediately pafled fifty or fixty fliocks through every part—gave him complete eafe in his body, in every part but in his left hip; the bone of which being bruifed, there remained a trifling pain. By fome means his family doctor was foon there, and had or. ders to bleed him. I told him it would do no good; for the fliocks had relieved him in every part, except the wound in the hip-bone; and the man declared he was eafy in every part but his hip. But the doctor had orders to bleed, and wifhed to do it, if I had no objection. I affented. He let blood; it ran freely, but not forcibly. He unbound, and exclaimed, I am miftaken: I expected there would be difficulty in flopping the blood after taking the fhocks'; but it flops eafier than ufual. I replied, this INVESTIGATED. atj> is one ufe of the fliocks, to abate the force of the veffels. I fhall fubmit to the opinion of my reader to determine, whether it is, or is not expedi- ent, in difficult cafes of ftaunching blood, firft to reduce the action of the arteries and veffels univerlally, and then to adminifter the ufual ftiptics. The emiflion of blood in a peripneumony, and in the yellow fever, or that fever which has threatened the depopulation of New-York, Philadelphia, and fome other of our fea ports, proceeds from a caufe diflimilar to all the other cafes. With much deference toDr.Brown's opinion, I am perfuaded that the emiflions of blood, in either of the above cafes, do not wait the ar- rival of indirect debility; neither doth debili- ty constitute any part of the caufe. Juft the contrary of all this is true: the increafed action of the heart and arteries—their tremendous en- ginery, by which the blood is forced with vi- olence upon the capillary veffels, and from which it cannot fo readily recede—and they being by fuch a procefs greatly diftended, they finally uncap, and emit their fluid: Rarifaction may alfo facilitate their freedom of emiflion ; but rarifaction doth not form any effential part of the caufe of this emitting blood, in thefe cafes. When indirect debility arrives, the whole fyftem partakes in it, and it is likely to be I16 MEDICAL tLECTRICItY equal in the whole. It would abate the action of the arteries upon the capillaries, in propor- tion as it abated the power of refiftahce or of retention in the capillaries. Hence, the proper ftiptic, in thefe cafes:, is that which takes off the tenfion of the arteries and veffels univer- fally. This ftiptic is now difcovered: hence, \ve hail thee, adorable Electricity! late arri- ved, or lately known, the friend of human life—with celestial bleflings furcharged, of late defcended from on high, to bid the dying live, the fick revive, the pain'd to reft in eafe, the blind to fee, the lame be whole—to lead man on to lengthened age in eafe—to be the fifter blessing of that grace, destined in due time to fill all hearts, and reign triumphant through Our difordered world. The ftiptic now appears to be electrical fire, by art adminiftered in due form and juft de- gree : this is the agent that will give foftnefs and mildness in the action of the veffels, and conl'e* quently forever prevent the emifion of blood in fever and peripneumony* The fhocks ought to be ufed in the firft flakes of a fever, before any veffels uncap, as the fluid may be difchar- ged into fome cavity, \vhence it cannot be era* dicated, and muft mortify or putrify, and fd prove fatal. Alfo, the patient can more eafily fupport the action of fuch fhocks as may be ne- ceffary to reduce the exifting tenfity of the vafc cular fyftem. INVESTIGATED. it? Hemorrhoids* Hemorrhoids, or the piles, will appear to be increafed on the firft electrifications : but this appearance is produced in the fame man- ner in which it is produced in electrifying for cure of an ulcer, emiflion of blood, &c. It is peculiar to the fliock, in the firft inftance, to promote any unnatural difcharge, and which it will ultimately restrain. Give fix or eight fhocks daily through the part, until well ; which, if you keep warm, will be but a fhort time. tllcers and Abfcejjtes. Whenever medical electricity fhall be gen- erally adopted in the practice, ulcers and ab- fceffes will be tare as comets ; but, for the jprefent necessity, we muft be fomething expli- cit. Whenever any tumefaction becomes pur- ulent, it muft be opened by the lahcet, that the pus may be voided: after this is done, the mocks paffed through the part, will immedii ately throw off and difperfe the remaining morbific matter, reduce the tumefaction, and contact and heal the part. All open fores, on the furface, will be clari^ Bed and healed, in the fame manner, more furely and quicker than they can poflibly be by any other means On earth. Internal ulcers and abfceffes, when once they are open and begin to difcharge, are clarified T & J 8 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY* and healed, in the fame manner as thofe on the furface ; and, what is of no fmall importance, an abfcefs Will never form a fecond time, no, not in any degree, after the firft electrification : Pus may be formed, and, if that be the cafe, the fliocks cannot give final relief, until the maturation is difcharged ; after* which, it for- bids, with omnipotent authority, a re-com- mencement of purulency. In treating of this cafe, it may be ufeful to relate a particular inftance of the effects of the fliocks on an internal ulcer or abfcefs. Mofes Lues, innkeeper in Galway, county of Sarato- ga, was, during my abfence from the place, af- flicted with abfteffes in his left fide: they form- ed and difcharged, eleven or thirteen times, I have forgotten which, in the fpace of about two months ; the greater part of which time, he was exercifed with great pain, and became very inflammatory : he finally got through it for that time ; but his health was very imper- fect, and he was looking forward, with evi- dent marks of defpair, to the period when they .• would re-commence, and prove fatal. By this time I was returned to the place ; and, being informed of hjs fituation, I advifed him to ufe the gentle fhocks, as a preventative. He faid that nothing had ever done him any good, neither did he expect any relief from any one. I importuned him in vain, till fome time in the winter, about fix months from his former ficknefs, the pain began again in the part of INVESTIGATED. 219 the former abfceffes: but he would not yield to me, till the pain and defperation obliged him to it. As I very much refpected the gentle- man, I was very glad of having an opportuni- ty of preventing his fuffering, if not of faving his life. As the abfcefs was forming in his left fide, nigh the diaphragm, I directed the fliocks from the left, through the abfcefs, to the right fide, about ten light fhocks : the confequence was, foon after, that he coughed, and brought up a gill of coagulated blood, and the pain a- bated. Some hours after, I paffed about the fame number of fliocks in the fame direction sft before : fome time after, when he had re- tired to bed, he again coughed; we ran to the bed, and he brought up about half a pint of bloody matter, as before. This difcharge was pleafing to me, and accepted as ominous of a fpeedy restoration ; but Mrs. Lues was very much alarmed, fearing he would bleed to death. I obferved, that it was much better to throw that matter off, before it increafed to four times that quantity, became fcetid and purulent, and induced a febrile ftate, as it had done before ; that now the part affected, would be cleanfed and healed, without any fuffering to Mr. Lues. This all proved true : Mr. Lues had no more pain, no more difcharge, except- ing a trifle, that would fometimes difcolour his fpittle, when he coughed ; but this appear- ance was but for two or three days. To be 220 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY brief, he was reftored to foundnefs, and has remained well for feveral years fince. S$uery—~ Is there any thing elfe on earth, that could thus have difcharged that forming abfcefs, and clarified and healed the part with fuch facility and difpatch as the electric fliocks ? My method of electrifying for ulcers, or ab- fceffes, hath been, to pafs the fliocks through the part affected ; and it is often ufeful to pafs them through every part of the fyftem : They muft alfo.be repeated daily, or once in two or three days, till foundnefs is reftored in the part affected. I have mentioned the ufe of electricity only ; but I do not mean that any affifting means ought to be neglected ; unlefs for the proof of electricity, you may ufe it without conjoining any aflifting means for a time, till your opinion concerning its ufe may be confirmed. Rickets. Almost every page affords fome evidence of the ufe of gentle electrification, to remedy or prevent the rickets in children, as it is chiefly in youth that this diforder prevails. All that hath been advanced of the various ef- fects produced by the fhock, in affecting the fluids and action of the veffels, ferves to provq not only the abfolute certainty of its falutary effects in this diforder, which fo often proves the deftruction of children, but argues the cruelty of omitting the only infallible remedy INVESTIGATED. of this difeafe. How phyficians have over- looked electricity, in this cafe, I cannot con- ceive. Every prefcription, indirectly, owns electricity its fuperior : they prefcribe riding, the cold bath, various gesticulations, &c. to move the circulations ; but cannot, or will not ever think or fteak a word of the electric fhock : that muft not be mentioned ; no, that is to be configncd to oblivion, or to fport away a leifure hour, Whenever any unnatural offification hath taken place, I know of no cure for that: but to prevent any increafe thereof, and to remove a stagnation or a redundancy of cartilaginous matter, to attenuate the fluids generally, and open all the minuteft circulations and fecre- tions every where, and to eftablifh a due de- gree of action, eafy and in perfect conformity to the laws of animal life and health, To do all this, let the child be electrified (but gently) in every part, once in two days, about fifteen fliocks at one time : let this be continued fif- teen or twenty days, if need be; and with the help of a careful nurfe, to keep the child warm, jt will receive all the benefit that man can give. Locked faw or Joints, I once offended a gentleman of the faculty, by faying the electric fhocks were the moft in- fallible remedy of this fpafmodic affection. He faid he knew all about it ; he had tried tho^ roughly, and it would not anfwer any goo(d T «a MEDICAL ELECTRICITY purpofe: but he thought it did more hurt thart good ; it was more difficult to reftore a locked jaw after being electrified, than before. This declaration was enough to filence any one, that knew no more about the bufinefs than he did : but I afked the doctor how many fhocks he gave the patient ? he faid about twenty. Perhaps you did not give them fufficiently ftrong. They were very ftrong. Did you cover him warmly about the head and face ? No, there was no need of it. Was the weather warm, or cold ? Cold. I replied, you have convinced me that you gave him no relief by fuch a treatment; there was more danger of taking life, than of preferving it, by ufing elec- tricity in a manner fo inconfiftently. However, this is but one error: the whole practice in electricity hath been rendered abortive, by er- rors on every hand. In order to obtain relief, by the electric fhocks, in locked jaw or joint, the mode of treatment muft be conducted on principles in- tirely different to what is above related. The feat of fpafm, whether it be the jaw or any other part, muft be very warmly covered, pre- vioufly to the giving of a fingle fliock: the chains may then be applied to the patient in fuch a manner, as to conduct the fliocks through the feat of the fpafm. The intention of the fliocks is, not to attenuate, not to di- late the veffels, not to induce any debility, but to promote the greateft fri&ional heat pofiible: INVESTIGATED. 123 This muft be done by the very gentle fliocks, and in great numbers ; they muft be continu- ed, with but little intermiffion, until the fpafm is removed. The wires fhould be mov- ed, once in thirty or forty fhocks, a little fpace, left they blifter the fkin ; they need not be moved more than one inch at a time. It is of ufe to electrify throughout the whole nervous fyftem, in the fame manner; but the fhocks may be a little stronger, and lefs in number than on the local affection. This uni. verfal friction, will have the effect to raife the local to a higher degree, and hasten the cure. Thefe operations muft be alternated, and continued for hours, unlefs the fpafm yields in a fhorter time. A high and fteady degree of warmth muft be conftantly obferved, during the whole operation, till the cure is effected, and for days afterwards; but leffened by de- grees. Thefe rules being obferved, will never fail to reftore a locked jaw or joint in a few hours, at longeft. I have restored a locked joint in thirty minutes, by fifty gentle fhocks. Thefe prefcriptions and rules, carefully at- tended to, will extricate this moft bleffed of all the means of health and life, from the con- tempt which fome people, who know little or nothing about it, are difpofed to caft upon it. In the inftance above cited, of treating a locked jaw by electricity, there was every im- propriety attending the procefs : the fhocks were much too ftrong; the part uncovered ; 224 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY the patient inftantly took a cold on the part; there was no friction promoted: All that was effected, was an increafe of debility; and to confummate all mifchief, a deadly cold inftant- ly ftruck the part. If any one will not believe that a cold will fucceed fo fuddenly to the fhock, they may be convinced of it, any time, in a cold day efpecially : Go into a cold room, with juft covering enough to keep you from fhivering; there take eight or ten fmart fhocks; then wait a few minutes, and fee if the air, that before was tolerable, now feels like a cold bath: But you may buy your faith too dear. Excepting it is determined to try the power of electricity only, it will facilitate the cure to conjoin all the affifting diffufable ftimulants; and it may be abfolutely neceffary, in extreme cafes of difficulty, left the patient be expofed to longer fuffering than otherwife he might be necessitated to endure, Bruifes, kc. Bruises, internal and external, are helped more and quicker, by the electric fhocks, than they can be by bleeding, and all the other in- ternal and external applications whatever ; There is no mean yet difcovered, that hath half the power of preventing coagulation, ftag- nation and concretion of the blood. It is of inestimable value for internal bruifes, and would undoubtedly fave life in fome fuch cafes, when all other means would faih When, INVESTIGATED. 225 in fome certain portion of veffel or veffels, the wound has nearly taken off all the action of the part, and when no other means could be able to prevent a concretion and mortification of the blood; yet in many fuch cafes, the elec- tric fliocks, frequently repeated, would be like- ly to prove effectual. They muft be frequent- ly repeated, becaufe the weakened veffel or vef- fels will be diftended, by a retention of blood, through lofs oftoneandftagnation: the fhocks being frequently repeated, will prevent this stagnation and redundancy in the part wound- ed ; and opiates will affift in reftoring the ac- tion of the weakened portion of veffels. Moreover, the fhocks will moft effectually attenuate the concreted particles of blood, pre- pare them for re-affumption in the circulations, and prevent their fending off any ramifactions to the neighbouring veffels, which might lay a foundation for fome other morbid affection, in various parts of the fyftem. There is proof fuflicient of the power of the fliocks, in fepa- rating, attenuating, propelling off, and diffusing from the part wounded, the coagulated, clotted particles of blood. This hath been noticed, (vide page 142.) When the wound or bruife hath not difcoloured the furface, or when no coagulations have been vifible on the furface, yet will it immediately appear, after a few fliocks are paffed through the part : It will be diffufed through the mufcle, from the part wounded, in the fame direction in which the 226 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY fliocks are paffed. But thefe appearances are not always vifible; it depends, as to its making any visibility on the furface, on the part bruit- ed, and the quantity of coagulated blood in the part: But its appearing fo fuddenly after the fhocks, when the situation and circumftan- ces of the bruife will admit of its ever appear- ing on the furface, before it is abforpt in the circulations, proves that lingular and very val- uable effect produced by the fhocks of this e- thereal fire, on the fluids generally. This one effect of the fhocks, being known, would justi- fy the moft ferious and fcrupulous enquiry in- to a thorough investigation of the fubject of medical electricity. Let me look up to the man of abilities, and afk what may be done, or rather what may not be done, by an agent, fo excessively diffufable and fermentative? Is life and health of any im- portance to mankind? And, is not this medi- cine, (which, like Aaron's ferpent, fwallows up all thg reft) of any importance? Say, ye whofe ken penetrates the receffes of nature's laws, how far doth this ethereal fire exceed all the nostrums and celebrated fpecifics on earth? How doth it eclipfe them, as the luminary of day eclipfes the dimmeft ftar ? Will you have fevers to follow a judicious ufe of this ethereal fire? You will have fevers, then, without a checked perfpiration, with an eafy and volun- tary flow of perfpiration, with a due mixture of all the fluids, with a due and regular action INVESTIGATED. 22? of all the fecretions, without redundancy, with- out extravafitation, and finally, without stric- ture or tenfion, without any increafed action of pulfation. Then tell me, ye whofe bufinefs ' it is to fpeak evil of what you underftand notj how will you work up a fever in the human body under thefe circumftances ? You cannot, with all your dexterity, form a dropfy. How will you raife a tumefaction, or collect and re- tain a body of morbific humours in a part, fo as to form an abfcefs, or an ulcer, before this fermentative agent ? Neither can you, if you starve in confequence of it, any fobner consti- tute a peripneumony, Or an inflammatory theumatifm, than you can a fever: This agent defies them all, and many more difeafes. You cannot conceive of coagulation and obftruc- tion, fo as to hatch up a pleurify in any form, before the electric fhocks. Who, then, fhall go about to obliterate this friend of human fife, and dare to blot it out of view? Will you confign to death, unheard? Her advocates have faintly fpoke from Europe;* you listened not; * From Europe, life. Dr. Wefley, fpeaking of ele&ricityi expoftulates, faying, " I cannot but iotreat aU thofe who are well-withers to mankind, to make full proof of this; certain- ly it comes the neareft to being an univerfal medicine, of any yet known in the world."—(Vide Primitive Phyfic*.) ./\.nd again, in his conclufion upon medical electricity, he fays, " Before I conclude, I would beg (if it be not too great a favor) from the gentlemen of the faculty, and indeed from ell who defire health and freedom from pain, that none of ihfcm would condemn they know not what; that they would ft28 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY their voice was too weak to gain an audience* She wakes Columbia's child to plead her caufe before the auguft tribunal of the human race* This advocate is friendly to the caufe of truth, a true philanthropist; but, Mofes-like, he is flow of fpeech : Sympathizing in man's ill, and fired with zeal to give him eafe, his client's fummons he obeys, harnefied with truth in ev- ery page; her picturefque he draws, in lines fo fair and obvious to view, that none can mif- take—"'Tis errors abfolute defeat.*' He calls on man, the jury univerfal, Unempannelled— Say, fhall merit fo extensive, deeds benign, to miracle akin, be pronounced accurfed ? and, pregnant with bleflings for you all, afks but your leave to give freedom from pain, to fee long life, if life before be not defttoyed, and quite a miracle required to reftore it. Live it will, in future days, to blefs the wife, who hear the caufe before they pafs fentence ; that they would not peremptorily proceed againft electricity, while they know little or nothing about it," ftc. &c.—(Vide Beauties of Wet ley, page 154, IJ5-) ,.,„,«... Again—Cavallo's Medical Electricity has a Quotation to a treatife written by Dr. JLovet, entitled Subtile Medium pro- red ; in which the Doctor fays, " The fhocks to be ufed in medical eleftricity, fhould be exceedingly light;" by which treatment, he hardly ever failed of curing, or at leaft, of re- lieving his patients. It appears by Cavallo, that Dr. Lovet had ufed medical electricity for a long time, and had difcovered its ufe \a in- flammation. N. B. Lovet ufed light fhocks only; but ftrong ones are fometimes beft* INVESTIGATED. 229 know and prize her worth ; and all the quef- tion is, will you be bleft to day ? I know not how to addrefs myfelf to man- kind, that 1 may perfuade them to their own good. I doubt not, but many will be convin- ced of the abfolute benefit to be derived from electricity, who, notwithftanding, will need other arguments to perfuade them, that "life is more than meat, and the body, than rai- ment." They are fo engaged in lucrative pur- fuits, that all considerations of preferving life and health are poftponed, till the fatal moment arrives in which both are loft. But I have one or two more cafes to treat of, before I clofe this chapter ; in fpeaking of which, I fhall study brevity. - Nerves contracled. Recent contractions of nerves are generally very eafily reftored : but thofe of years stand- ing, I have not been able to cure entirely; fometimes they would be helped a little, and fometimes no good could be done them by e- lectricity. But contractions of a few months continu- ance, I have always been able to remove with- out any difficulty. My method of electrifying, in fuch cafes, has been to pafs the fhocks directly upon the nerves contracted, in their full length. I have given from twenty, to fixty and feventy a day;' and, the perfon being kept very warm, they 5i3° MEDICAL ELECTRICITY will generally relax quite faft. When, by fome" wound, a perfon is obliged to fit for a time in a contracted posture, and the nerves become fixed and rigid, &c. the fliocks are of great ufe to straighten the nerves, and reftore action in the nerves and tendons. It is always the cafe, when bones have been broken, that the nerves and tendons have be* come inactive and torpid: but a few fhocks, given lightly through the part, will reftore action in one hour. After bones have been broken, and put well to place, fplintered and bandaged, the fliocks paffed through the part, will be of ufe to at- tenuate the fluids, to fupprefs fwelling, to fer- ment the blood, and carry off the vitiated hu- mours from the part. The wound will heal much fooner. But in electrifying in fuch a cafe, if the pa- tient hath not been ufed to taking of the fhocks, and is afraid of them, let him (or her) take them lightly in a well part firft, until they can take them without starting ; then let the gentle fliocks be pafled upon the part intended ; which muft be done without much ftarting, left the bones be thereby mifplaced* Sprain, or Strain. A violent extenfion of the nerves, tendons Or mufcles, in any part, is moft commonly re- moved by the electric fhocks. What is a lit- tle unaccountable, is, they will cure fprains, or INVESTIGATED. (trains, that are of many years ftanding. A recent strain is fometimes relieved in one or two minutes, by eight or ten light fliocks, given in the part wounded. Sometimes it is neceffary to repeat the electrifications for feve- ral days. One thing is very certain ; that is, if light fhocks will not help it, I have never found any thing elfe that could : but there are feveral applications or fpecifics, which, conjoined with the fhocks, facilitate the cure. Keep warm. Felon, or Whitlow. At its firft appearance, having covered the part very warmly, pafs twenty light fhocks through the felon : it may be neceflary to re- peat it once. If this fails, throw into an earthen, or fome other pot, fome hot embers ; on thefe embers put a lock of fheep's wool, well filled with greafe; hold the hand on which the felon is, in this pot; draw a thick cloth over the pot, round your hand or arm, to keep in the fmoke and heat: this will greatly fweat your hand, efpecially after taking the fliocks. Pains in different parts. Pains in the back are frequently cured by parting the fhocks from a little above the feat of the pain in the back, to the fore part of the thigh, fo as to bring the fliocks defcendingly through the part lame. Sometimes I have 232 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY found it neceffiry to give the fliocks pretty ftrongly ; and fometimes ftrong fhocks are prejudicial, and light ones only will give re- lief: hence, the firft fhocks, in this and all other cafes, ought to be light, and increafed in ftrength as occasion may require. Pains or flitches in the fide muft receive light fhocks through the part : if the pains ftiift from fide to fide, let the direction of the fhocks be ftiifted as for pleurify, (vide page 111.) Sometimes the moft imperceptible fhocks only will prove ufeful. When thefe pains are caufed, (as they fre- quently are in females) by fuppreflion of men- ftruation, they muft have the fhocks paffed in the direction recommended in that cafe, (vide page 182.) That direction will avail to the removal of the caufe ; and the other fhocks in the fide will give temporary relief, until the original caufe is removed, and the foundation of ireneral health is eftablifhed. o Wounds, kc. In whatever manner, or by whatever means, bones, nerves, tendons, or any part of the mufcles are wounded, by ftrain, bruife, cut of edged tools, gun-fhot, kc. the part fo wound- ed is fubject to irritation or inflammation, tumefaction, fuppuration, kc. The propriety of ufing the electric fhocks upon fuch wounds, will appear from the confideration of feveral INVESTIGATED. 233 effects of the fhocks, which have been already confidered. No one will doubt the propriety of reducing or of fuppreffing (welling, irritation, tumefac- tion, fuppuration, kc. in fuch cafes. Any one may know, that to purge the vitiated hu- mours, and clarify the blood, is a ready way of healing a wound. If it is an open wound, it will be difcharged, cleanfed and healed with furprifing difpatch. I think it would be of inestimable ufe in furgery, and that furgeons neglect their fummum bonum in neglecting the ufe of the electric fhocks, in many inftances. Deep wounds in the flefli, by gun-fhot and otherwife, would be greatly aflifted by the fhocks on the part : they will caufe the wound to difcharge freely ; and, by fuppreffing irrita- tion in all fuch cafes, would facilitate a cure ; and would frequently prevent a mortification by wounds. But it is of importance to take notice of one circumftance that will attend the electrification of wounds which muft be uncovered for dref- fing ; which is, that a cold will be taken in the part, unlefs much care be had to prevent it. It hath been noticed, that, from the ef- fects produced on the fyftem by the fhocks, there is no refiftance to a cold ; that the blood is fo attenuated, and propelled to the furface every way, the pores fo dilated and expanded, ihat unlefs the covering induces warmth equal, cr nearly equal to the warmth of the blood, u «34 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY the fhocks do not produce the ultimatum of good effects, by reafon of colds being thrown upon the blood : Hence, when a part is un- covered for dreffing, it muft be in air fufficient- ly warm, by a warm fire-fide, by furrounding blankets well heated, pots or pans of coals, &c. Drowning. I have never experienced the ufe of electri- city in this cafe ; 1 have only heard of its being applied for the relief of perfons in this circum- ftance. Several years paft, a phyfician told me of a furprifing recovery to life, which was effected by electrifying the perfon ; but I have forgotten the particulars. It is, however, very certain, that the gentle fliocks would go very far in inducing a recov- ery to action in the veflels, &c. The frictional action of the fliocks upon the folids, their elaftic action upon the veflels, would be the moft likely to recover a perfon, of any thing, perhaps*, in nature, that is yet difcovered. I will defcribe the method that I fhould purfue, or the manner in which I fliould apply the electrical fhocks, on this occafion. After the perfon is taken out of the water, and laid on a bed, let woollen blankets be heated as much as poflible, and wrapped round the body, next the fkin ; there fliould be two or three thickneffes at leaft : It will require three or four blankets, that one may be continually heating by the fire, to change with the others, INVESTIGATED.' 235 as they lofe their warmth, that the body may be kept continually warm. This being done in as fliort a time as poffible, without handling the body roughly by any means, commence the fhocks without lofs of time : let many be paffed from hand to hand, through the breaft, and from the neck or flioulders to the feet— perhaps three or four hundred fliocks, with little or no intermission, unlefs signs of life fhould fooner appear : and likely it would be necessary to continue the fliocks after fymp- toms of recovery ; yea, undoubtedly, in order to fupprefs fpafm and convulsions; for they forfietimes are very terrible on this occafion. Thefe fhocks fhould be fo ftrong, that a found man may feel them jar his elbows, when ta- ken from hand to hand. But if the perfon is of a flender weak habit, they muft not be quite fo ftrong. Some fliocks fliould be paffed from the head to the feet. Thefe being continued a long time, and the body wrapped in hot wool- len blankets, will induce action and life, if any thing but miracle can do it. The fliocks will move the blood, by fpring- ing the veffels; and the heat on the furface, joined with the frictional effects of the fhocks, will rarify and ferment the fluids, and would give ftrong hopes of fuccefs, after a perfon has lain hours under water. It is faid, that, with- out thefe means being ufed, which are the moft powerful by far, people who have lain fix hours under water, have been recover- 236 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY ed to life ; and fometimes the means of recov- ery have been ufed two hours before any figns of life would appear. Surely, then, we need not defpair of the restoration of one who has lain that time under water, when this agent, which is fo well calculated to produce the de- fired effect, is made a difcreet ufe of. It is very proper for a ftrong perfon to blow his breath with all his might into the mouth of the patient, to distend the lungs ; then to deprefs them again by the hand. Let thefe operations be alternated and repeated from time to time. Force nothing down the patient's throat; but you may promote vomiting by tickling the throat with a feather. Smoke of tobacco may be blown into the mouth, and fpirits of hartfhorn applied to the nofe; and fnuff may promote fneezing. When the patient can fwallow, give a draught of warm water, with a table fpoonful of mustard mixed therein. t The fhocks fupercede the neceffity of bleed? ing, rubbing the body, &c. Life fubfides, fometimes, a long time before It becomes extinct. Wherefore, I would not utterly defpair of fuccefs with thefe means, even when a perfon has lain twelve hours un- der water, efpecially a ftrong perfon. Perfons that have appeared to die fuddenly, without difeafe, that have fwooned or fainted apparently into death, or have been hanged INVESTIGATED. *37 or in a fit of apoplexy, may many times be re- ftored to life, by fuch a treatment; alfo thofe who have been ftunned and apparently killed by lightning, may be reftored in a few hours, by thefe means. But when the action of the fliock of light- ning hath ruptured or burft the veffels, it is undoubtedly too late for any means to reftore life, except the refurrection power. Suppreffed Perfpiration. When the fuppreflion of perfpiration caufes roughnefs and drynefs upon the fkin, perhaps fome deficiency of the febaceous glands, or vitiation of the febaceous humour, producing disagreeable fenfations upon the furface, fuch as itching, burning, fmarting, kc. all of which may be remedied, by putting on warm cover- ing, and electrifying one or two days. Burns and Scalds. Doctor Wesley fays, that the moft defpe- rate burns, or fcalds, are immediately reliev- ed by paffing a number of fliocks through the part : I have found it to be a truth of no fmall confequence to mankind ; and was electricity of no other ufe, it appears, that its ufe to a man who has a large family of children, would juftify him in being at coft the of a machine (efpecially a very cheap one, as I fliall foon de- fcribe) for his own ufe, feeing fuch accidents are very frequent among children. The fhocks 238 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY flop the fmarting of the burn or fcald imme- diately, throw off the fire and reduce the irri- tation, cleanfe and heal the fore. Let the patient be warmly covered, and foundnefs will be immediately, or very foon, reftored. To keep the part from chafing, dip linen rags in linfeed oil, and apply to the part, or a poultice; of roasted onions. Having treated of fo many cafes, feparately, the proper method of applying it in any cafe, may be eafily inferred. Suppofe for a cough, electrify through the breaft : for a cold, gene- rally, electrify throughout the whole fyftem : for a stiff neck, through the neck, or rather down the neck. It is fometimes of as much importance as life itfelf; I mean to women who fometimes take cold in time of child-bed : the fhocks will go far, in reftoring defperate » cafes of this defcription. The fliocks muft be lightly paffed in every part, but efpecially J through the uterus. Their debilitating ef- ^1 fects muft be counteracted by opiates, or fome- 1 thing elfe, as foon as may be after the violent affections of the cold is removed. I fhall now make fome general remarks, and conclude this chapter. 1. Let every perfon be warmly covered, be- I fore a fingle fhock is administered. j 2. Ufe the electric fliocks as foon as may be after the difeafe is difcovered. 3. In all acute difeafes, call for the ruTiftnr.ce ' of a fkilful phyfician ; there will almoft always INVESTIGATED. 239 be fome other medicine wanted to co-operate with electricity. In fever, there v/ill be, moft commonly, an abfolute need of emetics or ca* thartics, of flimulants of one kind or another, of tonics, &c. of which the phyfician will be the beft judge, who minutely obferves the pe- culiar ftate and habit of his patient. But the electric fhocks are an infallible rem- edy of fever, abstractly confidered ; and if ufed in the firft ftages, very little of other me* dicine will be neceffary, in many cafes and constitutions. 4* The fhocks may be paffed acrofs the fyftem, but fhould never be paffed afcending- ly, that is, from any part beneath, to a part nigher the head. 5. Strange appearances happen, after the1 firft electrification, in fome perfons: fome will fmell of brimstone, who have not for a long time ufed or handled any of it; their fweat, as well as their ftools, will be fcented as strong- ly as might be expected if they had taken large internal dofes of fulphur. 6. The fweat of fome people, when firft electrified, will be glutinous, fticky like wax £ but this is peculiar to a ftate of dimnefs of fight, of gutta ferena, and lofs of fight by age: but this appearance fubfides, as the fliocks are continued, and a diaphorefis is kept up. Query—Are not the fhocks an excellent fprefervative of fight ? £4o MEDICAL ELECTRICITY 7. People that I have electrified for fuppref- fion of urine, have frequently afked me, if electrifying did not induce an internal fever ? They were very dry, they faid: thefe fymp- toms would continue for two, three, or four days. Thefe appearances I have imputed to a retention of the falts, of the microcofmic or marine fait, or both perhaps, through a defi- ciency of the urinary fecretions : the whole mafs of fluids imbibe an increafed quantity ; which, by the attenuation and fermentation of the fhocks, are difcharged from the glands in the mouth and ftomach, into the ftomach and inteftines, and effect a fenfation of drynefs, in the fame manner as drinking of fea-falt and water. The fweat, in this cafe, will partake of an Increafed degree of faltnefs. There is another appearance, in this fitua- tion, that is worthy of notice : there is always an increafed degree of denfity of the folids, ve- ry perceptible in the veffels by laying your fin- 1 ger on the pulfe. J This laft appearance I have afcribed to the action of the marine fait upon the folids, in i promoting this apparent denfity, in the fame I manner in which it is produced on the flefh of animals preferved in fait. Query—Would not fea-falt prove an excel- lent ftiptic ? I fay an excellent ftiptic, inafmuch as it induces denfity without tenfity—would harden the capillaries, without exciting the ar- INVESTIGATED. 241 teries, by increafing the degree of their ten- fity, in a fever or peripneumony; and might prove very ufeful in that tremendous fever that pervades fome of our fea-ports. X 242 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY CHAPTER IV. NOTWITHSTANDING I have developed the whole fubject of medical electricity, and made it familiar to the weakest capacity; not only difcovered its inestimable ufe in pre- ferving and reftoring health and life—I had al- most faid its omnipotent power over difeafes, efpecially the accute kind; detected the former abfurd, inconfiftent, pernicious manner of u- fing this fimple, powerful and bleffed agent; fairly delineated and harmonifed a fyftem of practical rules, to be obferved in treating by electricity in almost all difeafes: yet if I drop the fubject here, mankind are not likely to be much bettered by it. It is of fmall import- ance to be informed of a medicine that would cure, but cannot be obtained. Kind reader, I am determined to withhold nothing that fhall be neceffary to confum- mate your happinefs, and make you mafter of the whole art of medical and practical electri- city. You fhall reap the full harveft of all my labours, for nearly twenty years, on a fubject that hath engroffed almost my whole attention, and with fuch unavoidable expences, as have prevented my being able to accumulate world- ly pelf to myfelf. During this time of practifing medical elec- tricity, I have difcovered fome improvements in the art of building the electrical machines, INVESTIGATED. both in refpect to their convenience and cheap- nefs. A thorough knowledge of building the ma- chinery, and keeping them in repair, is now what is wanting to confummate the whole bu- finefs, and leave my reader mafter of the field. I know it would anfwer a more lucrative pur- pofe, to referve this part to myfelf: But, as it would impede what I ardently with for, viz. that all mankind were in poffeffion of the ut- most knowledge and ufe of this precious mean of health, I freely forego any confideration of felf-intereft in the cafe, and participate the blef- fing communicated to mankind herein. This chapter will contain, inflruclionsfor build- ing different conflruclions of machinery—of the in- folating flool and bed—how to make a malgam—^ natural imitation of lightning—how to extracl light- ning from the cloud—the ufe of lightning-rods— cautions in time of lightning—how to ufe electricity as a preventative, &c. I fhall begin by defcribing a machine, which may be built with about two dollars coft, and a little work; and will be more convenient for medical purpofes, by far, than any imported from Europe, although they coft feveral guin- eas: but thofe of the European conftruction are built more for ornament than real ufeful- nefs; for the moft of them cannot be charged in the fummer feafon, when accute difeafes are moft prevalent, and the machines are conftant- ly moft wanted for ufe. But my conflruclions 244 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY will charge, more or lefs, any day in the year, by obferving the instructions to be given for that purpofe, in their proper place. We will begin with the frame that is to fup- port the wheel, and the glafs that is to be turn- ed by the wheel: they muft both be placed in one frame, with the wheel directly under the whirl that is put upon one end of the glafs, that a band may be paffed round the wheel and o- ver the whirl of the glafs: in this situation, the wheel, being turned by a crank, will turn the glafs alfo, by help of the band. The frame will confift of two upright posts, about five or five and a half feet high, framed into two blocks or fills, about two feet and a half long: thefe may be five inches wide, and three deep, and framed together by two crofs pieces; the diftance of the fills muft be determi- ned by the diftance of the two upright pofts; and the diftance of the upright pofts muft be determined by the length of the glafs or cylin- der, which is to be fitted to run between thefe upright timbers. This remark will apply in all cafes of constructing the frame. But I mean, in this cheap conftruction, to ufe a common decanter for the cylinder, or globe, as it is call- ed. We will fuppofe the decanter to be nine inches long, and we will fuppofe the wood- work, which muft come upon the decanter, to occupy three inches more, which will make twelve inches; and two inches we will allow free, between the ends of the elafs, &c. and INVESTIGATED. 245 the upright pofts and timbers: the whole diftance then will be fourteen inches. This will anfwer for almost any decanter; becaufe the wood-fcrews that are to be paffed through thefe two pofts, to fupport the cylinder or giafs, may be varied a little, by pafling one fcrew further through the wood than the other, &c. Thefe upright pieces may be formed out of a plank, two inches thick and four inches wide, the fcrews that fupport the cylinder are to be in- ferted or parted through the upright pofts, within fix inches of the top, on a right hori- zontal line, pointing directly to each other; thefe points mark the centre of the glafs: juft below the glafs, fo as to clear the furface of the glafs one or two inches, a piece of wood muft be framed acrofs into the fide-pieces, to fupport them, and to reft the hand upon, when the cufhion is applied to the cylinder in order to charge the machine. The wheel is to be hung with a (haft paffed through its centre, fo that its rim will fall below the crofs-piece, juft men- tioned, about four inches. The two ends of the fhaft may be fupported on the fides of the upright pofts, by cutting a half circle in the pofts, and by cutting two half circles into two fmall clefts, and bringing them on over the other half circles cut into the pofts: the two half circles making the whole circle of the fhaft, they may be put on with nails or wood-fcrews. One end of the fhaft muft be left longer, and extended four inches clear of the outfide of x 246 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY the port:, on that fide on which you ftand to turn the wheel, and a crank be put on this end to turn by, in the fame manner as a grindftone is turned. Now there is room, with this height of the pofts, to make a wheel four feet in diameter. You may take your choice as to the circumfer- ence of the wheel; only this you may know, that the larger the wheel is, the eafier will the machine charge: it ought not to be lefs than three feet diameter, to form a ftrongly-operat- ing machine, for all feafons of the year. The wheel may be made of boards, in a fol- id form, of half an inch thick each, and nail- ed, or put together with fcrews, the grain of one crofting the grain of the other, to prevent the wheel from warping, &c. and a place cut for the band: or the wheel may be formed by two arms, croffed at right angles, and halved together in the centre, leaving them fufficient- ly large to fupport the wheel on the fhaft, and the rim formed of four felloes, brought on the ends of the arms, &c. and a place cut for the band. The wheel muft be hung nigh the in- fide of one of the pofts, directly under the whirl which is put upon the decanter, called a globe or cylinder. In choofing a decanter to make a cylinder or globe of, obferve that it is blown with a fmooth furface, and round; beft that the bilge be blown in an oval, or the form of an egg. The late- blown decanters are of a gradual contraction INVESTIGATED. 247 of diameter, from the bottom to the top, or nearly fo, and are not fo convenient. Obferve that the neck ftands on a right line with the bilge; and, for the above conftruction of wood- works, the height of the decanter muft be a- bout nine inches. To prepare the decanter for running—firft, for the bottom, fcribe a piece of wood, cherry, birch, maple, or mahogany, as you pleafe, about one quarter of an inch larger than the bottom of the decanter ; within that circle, fcribe the circumference of the bottom of the glafs, and fink the glafs into that nearly half an inch; this is to be ftuck to the glafs by a cement. But, before that is done, a box of brafs or iron mult be had (a blackfmith can make them of iron) about an inch, or an inch and a half fquare, and a little more than a quarter of an inch thick, with the corners flatted down thin, and holes drilled or punched in them for fcrews to pafs through into the wood: In the centre of this box a hole muft be drilled or punched, to re- ceive the points of the large fcrews, which are paffed through the upright pofts before defcri- bed. This box muft be funk a little into the outfide of that wood, prepared for the bottom of the glafs; that wood being about an inch and a quarter thick, or an inch may be thick enough. Thefe things being prepared for the bottom of the glafs, then proceed to prepare the wood for the neck of the decanter. The length of this wood muft be meafured from the 248 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY part where the fwell of the neck is about three inches in diameter, to one inch clear of the ex- tremity of the neck of the decanter. The di- ameter of this wood at one end, viz. the end that embraces the fwell of the glafs, mult be a little more than three inches; the other end may be two and a half inches: this may be turned in a lathe, nearly to the form of the glafs, and it will make it lighter and better for ufe. But a hole is to be bored into this wood, from the largest end, to infcrt the neck of the decanter: it may be firft bored with an auger, juft large enough to receive the top of the de- canter, and then •with a large taper-bit, and worked out with a rafp, or other instrument, fo as to fink the decanter, that the neck fliall approach within an inch of the end of the wood. This wood fliould be turned, or worked off upon the outfide, fo as to render it thin and light, excepting the part where the whirl is to te turned in the wood; and the other box is to be funk into jhe end, or elfe fecured by fcrews without linking, and is to be made in the fame form of the former box, which is pre- pared for the bottom of the glafs. The whirl may be turned, or the place for the band, with- in one inch of the end, and fhould be fo turn- ed as to pinch the band, otherwife it will ren- der; but it muft always be crofs-banded. Hav- ing the boxes, fcrews, woods, all prepared, fcrew on the boxes, fo that the fockets for the points of the large fcrews may ftrike the centre INVESTIGATED. 249. of the glafs: Then prepare a cement to flick the two woods faft to the glafs. You may ufe bees-wax, or rofin foftened by a little tallow, or boil tar, without burning it, to fuch a con- fiftency, that, when cold, it will be brittle. Heat the glafs, as warm as can be held by hand, and likewife both the woods; let the cement be warmed till it is quite thin; daub fome of the cement all round the bottom of the glafs, kept warm by a fire; then pour fome hot ce- ment into the place cut out, to fink the bottom of the decanter into; and immediately fettle the bottom of the decanter into its place, while the cement is all warm and yielding. This done, proceed in the fame manner to fecure the wood upon the neck of the decanter; and it is ready for ufe: Bring it into its place, between the points of the large fcrews, and fcrew up their points into the lockets; after which, put on a ftrong woollen band, and this part of the machine is completed. It would be as cheap to purchafe a glafs blown purpofely for the bufinefs: but, becaufe they cannot always be had, I have defcribed this manner of preparing decanters; and they an- fwer about as good a purpofe as any other. Prime Conductor.—Whatever is made uic of to convey the fire from the cylinder to the oth- er glafs, called the receiver, may be called a prime conductor. I will now defcribe a cheap one. Turn a piece of wood ^pine will do) three feet long, round and fmooth, the two ends a 250 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY little convex; cover it with tin, or, what is of lefs coft, with tea led, drawn tight to all parts of the wood, and tacked on with fmall flat- headed nails; let it be nailed all on one fide, in a straight line ; it muft be nailed, likewife, round the two ends; but the heads of the nails, and every part muft lie fmooth; there muft be no points standing out, as they will throw off the fire, and you cannot raife a charge. This conductor is to be hung under the chamber, or any other floor over head, on a horizontal line with the cylinder; or it may be raifed higher, in order to hang the conductors: two ftaples, hooks, or brafs rings, with fcrews, muft be driven or fcrewed into the conductor, nigh each end, and on the fame fide. Into thefe ftaples, hooks, or brafs rings, make the end of a large, long goofe-quill faft, by turning the end of the quill round the ring, &c. and fattening the end back with a ftrong waxen twine. On the other end of each quill, make faft any fmall cord, of fufficient length and ftrength to fup- port about twenty or thirty pounds weight. Thefe quills are the beft of any thing I could ever difcover, to prevent the effluvia from paff- ing off: It will pafs off upon hair, upon filk, and, in damp air, it will pafs off upon glafs ; but will never pafs upon a clean goofe-quill. The next thing is, to drive another ftaple, hook or ring, into the under fide of the con- ductor, nigh the centre: this is to hang a gLu's to, called the receiver, and will foon be dcfcri- INVESTIGATED. 251 bed. The next thing will be, to prepare a large wire,thebignefs of apipe-ftem; one endofwhich is to be driven into the centre of one end of the prime conductor, and the other end, being firft flatted with a hammer, and with a three- fquare file cut into three fharp points, is to ap- proach within an eighth of an inch of the fur- face of the cylinder, in the centre of the glafs: the points are to collect the fire from the glafs, as it is promoted by turning the glafs, and the cufhion held to the glafs at the fame time. This wire conveys the fire to the prime conductor, and the prime conductor will convey it to the receiver, that is to hang under it. Obferve, the wire, juft mentioned, and the staple, &c. in the under fide of the conductor, muft both touch the lead, which is the coating of the con- ductor. The wire may be two or three feet long. There is nothing more to be done to the conductor, than juft to bore a hole on the up- per fide of it, as it hangs up, nigh the centre, in which to,place the electrometer: This hath been defcribed, (vide page 27—28) and need not be repeated. Receiver,—The receiver, or battery-glafs, is that which contains the fhock. When it u charged, the infide is faid to be plus-electrified, becaufe it hath more than its natural quantity of elementary fire. The outside is faid to be minus- electrified, becaufe it hath lefs than its natural quantity; for the ele&rical effluvia is drawn off *5* MEDICAL ELECTRICITY from the outfide of the receiver, and convey* ed to the infide: by this the equilibrium of at- mofphere is broken, and the effort is to reltore that equilibrium: This is done by forming a conveyance from the infide, or pi us-electrifica- tion, to the outfide, or minus-electrification. When the human body forms any part, or the whole of this conveyance, it receives the fhock, and the equilibrium is reftored in the receiver. That receiver which will be of the leaft coft, and will require the leaft preparation, and will anfwer as good a purpofe as any other, will be a fquare cafe bottle; the larger it is, the ftrong. er the operation. But in choosing the glafs, be careful that there is not the leaft flaw or fracture in it: there will be fometimes almost imperceptible little fir%-cracks in the glafs, that emit the effluvia, although nothing elfe could portibly perfpire through them. The glafs must be found, and free from all appearance of frac- tures. Fill the glafs with brafs filings, or with the cinders or fcales from a blackfmith's anvil: let them be wafhed clean, then dried in a ket- tle fuddenly over a hot fire, then fifted and put into the glafs: cover the outfide of the glafi with the thinnest of tea-led, fuch as comes in the green tea chefts; let it come up as high as the straight fides of the bottle : fold four or five thickneffes of paper, and lay one fuch on each fide of the glafs, upon the lead; then, with a few yards of quality binding, bind all firmly and clofe to the glafs, from top to bottom. INVESTIGATED. 253 The next thing will be, to hang this glafs under the conductor, in the ftaple before men- tioned : This may be done by a large wire, like unto the former, a hook turned in the upper end, to hook to the conductor, and the other end paffed into the glafs, fo as to touch the filling matter, let it be what it may. But how will you make the glafs hang by this wire? There are two methods of doing this: one is, to drill holes through the wire; and another is, to turn a ring in the wire, which may be very fmall; then through the ring or the holes to pafs a ftrong waxen twine, and make it faft round the neck of the bottle. This nearly com- pletes the machinery. But two chains are want- ing to convey the fhocks to the patient: One of thefe chains brings the fhock upon the pa- tient, in any part where it is applied; and the ether takes off the fhocks, at whatever part it is applied. Thefe chains may be made of common wire, of the fize of a knitting needle, cut eight inch- es long, and the ends turned and linked togeth- er. The chains fhould be fix or eight feet long. One wire on each chain, at the end, muft not be turned, but brought to a point, that it may run through the clothes of a perfon, or through bedding, if the patient is in bed; for the wires muft always touch the fkin. The other end of^ one chain muft be made faft, or connect with the coating of the receiver; and this is the chain that paffes the fhock from the patient to *54 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY the vacuum or minus-electrification, and muft never lie on the patient higher than the other chain, but generally lower. The other chain muft have one end of it turned in a ring: this is to touch the prime conductor with, in order to take the fpark, and bring on the fhock up^ on the patient; and it will come upon the pa- tient in that part where the other end of the fame chain is applied. This muft be well un- derftood, or mistakes will be made in pafling the fhocks*—their directions will be wrong, and that will do effential damage in many particu- lars. Notice then, once for all, that the fame chainthat takes the fparkorfliOck from the prime conductor, brings the fliock upon the patient at whatever part it touches the patient: For inftance, we will fuppofe that one end of the chain, which takes the fpark from the machine, is held in the patient's right hand; and one end of the other chain, viz* the chain that connects with the leaden coating on the receiver, is held in the patient's left hand. If the fhock is paff- ed, it will fly from right hand to left, in the ftraighteft and nigheft paffage that can be found through the breaft. The chain that brings on the fhock, I have named plus-conveyance, be- caufe it conveys the plus-electrification, in the receiver, to the patient. The other I call evac- uant, becaufe it evacuates the plus-electrifica- tion, or fhock, from the patient, at whatever part it is applied. INVESTIGATED. 255 I hope, by this time, any one will fully un- derftand how to direct the fhock, according to the rules taught throughout the whole of chap. 3d. By means of two chains, and understand- ing their distinct offices, you will be able to obferve all the rules prefcribed for directing the fhocks. You may pafs the fliock through the joint of a finger only, by laying the plus- conveyance on the one fide, and the evacuant on the other; or place the plus-conveyance on the head or neck, and the evacuant on the feet, and the fhock will fly from the head or neck to the feet. The electrometer is an artificial meafurement of the quantity of the charge, in any particu- lar receiver; but the quantity or charge is greater or lefs, according to the bigness of the receiver; and the electrometer only exhibits to your view the degree of charge, in any in- dividual receiver. The little cork-balls, in the electrometer, as the machine charges, condenfe round themfelves, globular atmofpheres; the atmofpheres increafe as the machine charges; and as the atmofpheres increafe, the balls are feparated by their own atmofpheres. When the machine charges freely, the balls may be propelled to a horizontal plain ; and if there is no body intervening, to affect the natural at- irude of their atmofpheres, they cannot be al- tered by an increafe of the charge from that horizontal pofition. If any body lefs electrified approaches the globules of the electrometer, it 256 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY will attract to it; but if higher electrified, it will be propelled by that body. We have completed our machine for giving the fhock, excepting a cufhion, and the malgam to be put upon the cufhion, in order to excite the friction upon the glafs we call the globe, or cylinder. There are a variety of cufhions made ufe of: fome are fixed with a fcrew, or fpring, under the glafs. But I have never ufed any thing but a piece of foft calf fkin, or deer or fheep fkin; but the flefh fide of calf fkin, cut out of the flank, is the beft of any that I could ever find; the malgam will adhere to it: the piece may be four or five inches long, and three broad; the malgam rubbed upon the flefh fide. One end of this leather, held with the thumb in the palm of the hand, and preffed by the ends of the fingers to the glafs, will collect the fire and charge the machine. It muft be held to the glafs directly oppofite the points of the conductor. Malgam is made of pewter and quickfilver, or zinc and quickfilver. Melt about one ounce and a half of pewter; when melted, pour it into a heated earthen cup or veffbl; while it is in the melted ftate, pour into it one ounce of quickfilver; and when this is cool it is fit for ufe. A piece a:> bin; as a finali pea, is fufficient to rub on the cufhion at one time. A fnveM piece of tallow, not to exceed a fmall pea, may be rubbed on the cylinder, in damp, fultry- weather; and it will caufe the malgam to ad- INVESTIGATED. *57 here to the cufhion. Sometimes it will charge beft with the malgam fide to the glafs; and at other times, the leather without malgam is beft : this is foon known, by turning the cufh- ion end for end, or upfidc down, i rom thefe ciufes, 1 have never had my cufhion immove- ably fixed to the glafs, but have held it by hand. But it wiil be neceffary to have the cufhions fupportcd to the glafs by fprings, in thofe machines which are carried by water- works; and the cufhion muft be of feveral yards in length, and, by means of fome wheels and pullies, to have it draw flowly through upon the fpring; perhaps four yards would be furticient to rarify during twelve hours. The machine already defcribed is the cheapeft that can be built to anfwer medical purpofes. But this conitruction may be rendered ornamental. The prime conductor, inftead of being cover- ed with lead, may be gilt with gold, silver, or brafs leaf: the outfide of the receiver may be gilt; and, if it were an open glafs, the infide nil >'it be gilded. The wood-works may all be made of mahogany, and elegantly wrought; or of pine, and beautifully painted, &c. There is another method of conftructing the frame, which, on fome accounts, will be more convenient, and the coft very little, if any more than the other ; and it will hang the conduct- or, receiver and all in the fame frame. This wiil make it more handy to move from place to place, to a bed-fide or to the fire-fide, as will 258 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY be neceffary in damp weather, to dry the glaff- es; and to carry to a neighbour's houfe, if ne- ceffary, kc. To do tins, let the feet or fills, before men- tioned, be cut four, or four and a half feet long, and the two ports that fupport the wheel, kc. be framed quite to one end; and let two pair more be made, of an inch board, and three or four inches wide; one pair muft be framed in quite to the oppofite end of the fame fills; then obferve the diftance of the two ftaples or rings in the conductor, by which it is hung, and make that diftance the diftance of the two laft pofts, or upright ftrips of boards; then let thefe two additional pofts be croffed at the top with strips of boards; then to thefe crofs-pieces hang the conductor. Thefe laft pofts may be again croffed by two other pieces, as low as the bot- tom of the receiver, and a board, laid upon thefe crofs-pieces, will ferve to reft the receiv- er upon: this will be more fafe than to fufpend fo great a weight upon the conductor. The electrometer may ftill be ftepped in the centre of the prime conductor, on the top, as before directed. The top of the receiver, or the uncoated part of the glafs, muft always be kept very clean and entirely dry: in damp weather, it muft be rubbed dry with cloths, or be dried by a fire: a hand that is fweaty or greafy, muft not touch that part of the glafs, neither muft a perfon breathe upon it; that dampnefs upon the glafs INVESTIGATED. 259 would form a conveyance from the infide to the outfide of the glafs, and the machine could not charge—the equilibrium of atmofphere could not be broken. In bad states of air, it is detcrimcntal for people to ftand round the re- ceiver, or for many to be in the fame room: their breath creates a dampnefs, that impedes the charging of the machine. If the wind is not very dry, it has the fame effect. The receiver may be charged, and the fliocks given, (though not accurately) without all this parade of a large conductor, ac. Thus, take the large wire, that extended from the prime conductor to the cylinder, and, having a cork that will fit the bottles, run the wire through the cork, fo as to touch the fubftance with which the glafs is filled; then, holding 1 lie re- ceiver in your hands, bring the pointed end to the cylinder, as nigh as before directed ; and the cylinder, being" turned, will charge the re- ceiver as highly as by any other means. But you cannot know the degree of the charge, and it would be dangerous to electrify weak per- fons in this manner. In dry weather, this re- ceiver may be carried a great diftance, and the fhock given from it: In this cafe, a perfon may take the fhock by laying one hand on the coating of the receiver, and touching the other to the wire that goes into the receiver: his bo- dy will form the whole conveyance, from the plus to the minus electrification; or he may ufe both chains, as in the other form of charging. 26*o MEDICAL ELECTRICITY N. B. A machine fhould be kept in a dry room, where there is a fire, that it may always be ready for ufe. When a malgam cannot han- dily be had, chalk may be feraped on the cuih- ion, and that will charge the machine. Infolating Stools.— Take a board, fufficiently wide and long for a perfon to fit upon in a chair; and acrofs the ends of this board muft be nailed two other pieces of board, as long as the other is wide; and the width of thefe muft be fufficient to let through the bottom of por- ter or wine bottles; one bottle through each end will ftand under each corner of the wide board, which will form the ftool, or ftand, up- on four glafs legs, at each corner: thefe bottles muft be fet in with a ftrong cement, like that ufed upon the cylinder ; when this is done, the ftool will reft upon the necks of the bottles, to the floor: thefe bottles fliould be of an equal height, and muft always be kept clean and dry. The wood muft be rounded on the edges and corners; no fharp points, fpiinters, heads or points of nails, muft be fuffered to ftand out of the wood; the furface muft be fmooth in all parts; any roughnefs, points, &c. will diffipate the fire, or effluvia, and fo prevent the infola- tion, at leaft in a degree. A perfon, ftanding or fitting on this ftand, may communicate with the prime conductor, by laying on a hand, or elfe by holding a large wire by one end, and resting the other on the conductor. The ends of this wire fliould be INVESTIGATED. 261 covered with bees-wax; or, if the wire is large, and rounded fmoothly, it may do well enough. The perfon in this fituation, and the machine being charged, will be on an equilibrium of at- mofphere with the prime conductor. If the perfon is touched by the finger of a fpectator, a fpark of fire will be very vifible, in a dark room. Many entertaining exhibitions may be per- formed on the ftand, and by many other parts and powers of the electrical bodies, in different parts of the machinery; fuch as wheels run- ning—balls fwinging—figures of the human fpecies,cut out of gilt paper,dancing—imitation of fnow or rain, ftorms, &c. and many other ftrange appearances, too numerous to mention: and, as real ufefulnefs, and not amufement, is the object of thefe pages, I fhall pafs the moft of them unnoticed. The ufe of thefe glafs legs are, to prevent the effluvia from pafling off to the floor: accord- ingly, holes may be bored in the bottom of the bed-potts, and the necks of the bottles inferted, one in each poft, fo as to cut off communica- tion with the floor; and a perfon may be info- lated in bed, by means of a metallic rod, to communicate with the prime conductor. I have defcribed the aural tube, or rod, (vide page 191—192.) 26a MEDICAL ELECTRICITY Natural imitation of Lightning. Drill a hole through a quart decanter, as large as will receive a fmall wire; put into the decanter a little of the white of an egg, juft enough to daub over the bottom of the decan- ter; for you cannot turn any back without its falling upon the fides of the glafs, and that muft be avoided: then throw in of the filings of brafs, or fine cinders, prepared as before di- rected, as many as will cover the bottom of the decanter; then let it ftand till it is quite dry; then fhake out the loofe particles; then put a wire into the bottom, and, by a flick put into the decanter, turn the end of the wire fhort down, to prevent its drawing out; then cut gold or filver leaf into very fmall par- ticles, fo many as will fill a table fpoon; put them into the decanter; let a large wire be paffed through a cork that will flop the decant- er, and a leaden, pewter or brafs ball, as large as will enter the decanter, muft be put upon the end of the wire, and put into the decanter, and let down within four or five inches of the bottom: the wire muft be made faft at the neck of the decanter, by the fame means that were directed for the receiver, (vide p. 250:) A hook muft alfo be turned in the end of the wire, that it may be hung under the conduct. or, which will require another ring, or ftaple, (for the receiver muft not be taken off.) When all this is ready, let the chain that I call the INVESTIGATED. 563 tfvacilant, be connected with the wire that is in the bottom of the decanter: then there is a metallic conveyance formed from the plus to the minus electrification, on the receiver, ex- cepting four or five inches, which is the diftance between the bottom of the decanter and the ball that hangs in it. The intention now is*. to make the whole charge leap from the ball to the bottom of the decanter; and I fuppofe the fire may be made to leap much farther, but I have never tried it. The particles of gold leaf, I have fubftituted for particles of rain, falling from the thunder- cloud, kc. As foon as the machine charges, an atmofphere will be formed round the ball in the glafs: this atmofphere will attract the particles of leaf, and they will strike the ball; by which meansj each particle receives an at- mofphere of its own, and is inftantly repelled by the fuperior atmofphere of the ball, and flrikes the bottom of the decanter, where it lofes its atmofphere on the metallic fubftance, prepared for the purpofe; hence it is inftantly fubjected to the laws of attraction, and strikes the ball again, &c. Thus thefe thoufands of particles fly, in quick fucceffion, from the phis to the minus electrification, until they chance | to come in fuch clofe contact that they form a ! conveyance, and the whole charge leaps or I breaks down upon them to the bottom of the decanter, and is by the wires conveyed into the vacuum, or outfide of the receiver. la 264 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY good Weather, with a large receiver, there will be a striking imitation of the fire from the cloud; there is the fame divergency and zig- zag appearances: it is lightning, to a demon* ftration; but, in order to render it confpicuous, it fliould be performed in the dark. It is the afcending particles which form the conveyance chiefly, becaufe the defcending are propelled from each other by their atmofpheres; many of them will fall on the fides of the glass, forming partial conveyances; this will often caufe the fpark to fhoot round about in the glafs, in the fame natural manner in which it is feen in the cloud, when it hath not a fuffici- ent conductor to bring it to the ground. The ball in the decanter anfwers to the ftate of the thunder-cloud; the bottom is the ftate of the earth, and the particles of leaf are a fubftitute for the falling rain, &c. Method of exi'racling Lightning, &c. Lest fome fhould fuppofe, that the fhocks from the artificial machine are not, in their nature and effect, the fame as thofe which de- fcend from the clouds, I will ftate the method of putting it to actual experiment, as it hath often been done; and if it proves true that the I action of lightning from a cloud is the fame, * in nature and effect, on the human body, then! no uncertainty remains of the truth of my lead J ing principles, on the fubject of medical elee£ tricity. INVESTIGATED. 265 Make a fmall crofs, of two thin, light ftrips of wood ; the arms muft be juft long enough to reach the four corners of a large thin filk handkerchief, when extended; tie the four corners of the handkerchief to the extremities of the arms of the crofs, and this forms the body of a kite ; to this add the loop, tail and firing, and it will rife in the air, as freely as one made of paper : But this will bear the wind and wet, in a ftorm, much better than paper. To the top of the crofs, fet in a fharp- pointed wire, rising about eighteen inches above it : tie in a large key to the end of the twine that holds the kite ; and to the other end of the key make faft the fmall end of a goofe-quill, and by the other end of the quill the kite is to be held. This quill will prevent the fire from running below the key, if the quill is kept dry ; and in order for this, the perfon that holds the kite muft ftand in a porch, or under fome other covering, that the quill may not be wet. Neither muft the twine, or firing by which the kite is held* touch any part of a building, tree, or any thing elfe. As foon as the thunder-cloud comes Over the kite, the pointed wire draws the electric fire from the atmofphere of the cloud : this atmofphere of the cloud is attract- ed towards the earth, becaufe the earth is lefs electrified than the cloud. The atmofphere of the cloud points or tails toward the minus- electrification in the earth, in the fame manner Z 266 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY as the fuperior atmofphere, or plus-elcctrisica- tion in the fun, propels the atmofphere of a comet into a tail or ftream of extreme denfity, behind the comet, oppofite the fun ; whereby its denfity, not rarefaction, (as Sir Ifaac New- ton fuppofes, becaufe it is fecluded from the fun's light) appears luminous, very much like the aurora-borealis, which we know is not rarefaction. By the atmofphere of the cloud's being at- tracted towards the earth, the kite is foon en. veloped in higher electrification, and conducts it towards the earth. As foon as the twine becomes wet, fo as to conduct the fire more freely, it will ftream from the key, on the ap- proach of a finger. N. B. It is well to wet the twine before the kite is fent up. If you hold a receiver to the key, prepared as directed, (vide page 251 and 252) it will be charged in the fame manner, and produce the fame kind of a fliock, as it would if held to the cylinder, and the fire collected by the artificial machinery ; and if you ftand upon an infolating ftool, and hold one hand on the key, you will be filled with fire, in the fame man- ner as you would be by holding a hand on the prime conductor of an artificial machine. Every effect produced, and every appear- ance, proves that the fire extracted from the thunder-cloud is the fame in its properties and effects as that which is promoted and collected INVESTIGATED. 267 by the artificial machinery. It confequently eltablifhes the truth of my hypothefis, drawn from the over-action of the fliock received from the thunder-cloud, concerning which it was contended, that if the exceffive, or over- action of the electrical effluvia would fo fwell, dilate, distend or expand the veffels, as to take off all tone, tenfion or action on the whole vafcular fyftem at a touch, thereby caufing an inftantaneous ceffation of pulfation, and not only fo, but alfo to rupture or burst the veffels, that a due degree might be found, and indeed is found, that will take off that over-action arifing from an increafed degree of tenfion, or diminution of the diameters of the veffels, which attends or conftitutes fever, peripneu- mony, and all the like cafes of increafed mor- bid action. Alfo, as the over-action of the fliock was confpicuous in dilating and expand- ing the pores in the fkin, (vide chap. 2d, page 72 and 73;) where it is clearly demonftrated, that in the artificial and proper ufe of this element, we have found an infallible cure of fever and inflammation ; and by its expanding the veffels, fermenting and attenuating the fluids universally, it promotes every defcription of fecretions, clears every obrtrufted veffel, fcpaiates every coagulated panicle, induceth an eafy, uninterrupted equilibrium of circula- tions ; and, confidering the direct ftimulus of the fupernatural infolation, its power of invig- orating the circulations, and animating all the 268 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY animal functions, being the criterion of life itfelf in the ftate of nature, we may with the utmoft propriety conclude, even without an experiment, that nine-tenths of all neceffary medicine is comprifed in a judicious and pru- dent ufe of this ethereal fire; efpecially if we confider its power of preventing fome particu- lar difafters, which, when arrived and feated, it cannot remove, fuch as the ftone, univerfal palfy, and a few other difeafes, in fome of which it can do no good, and but little in fome others, but which may almost, if not always, be prevented by a prudent, frequent and timely ufe of the ele&rical effluvia. But if, after all the arguments made ufe of in the fubfequent pages, a doubt fhould re- main of the truth of my pretentions, let the experiment be made, without any variations from the prefcribed rules, carefully avoiding coolnefs and the over-action of the fhock, and all doubting will foon vanifh, and leave me mafter of the field of conteft, with thoufands who have ignorantly and wickedly oppofed the progrefs of an art, in the completion of which the lives and healths of mankind are deeply concerned. The ufe of Lightning-Rods. These rods, invented by Dr. Franklin, are a great fafety, not only to buildings, to pre- vent them from being fet on fire, or blown and fhivered to pieces : but, what is of greater INVESTIGATED. 209 importance, they are a fafety to the lives of people, in a building where the rod is properly placed. This fafety doth not confift only in the points attracting the effluvia that approach- es nigh to the houfe unto the rod ; but alio in the quality of the rod to conduct this expand- ed element clear of the building,' being the moft fuitable and apt conductor known, and from which it cannot be eafily diverted by any other bodies, although in the clofeft contact with it, efpecially fuch as generally compote buildings : and, if a human body was in con- tact even with the rod, it could not divert a furticient quantity from the rod into itfelf to take away life, unlefs the body of fire was considerably large, (vide chap. 2d, page 70 and 71.) A perfon may extend his hands upon a wire, and a ftrong fliock may be paffed upon the wire, through his hands, and there will not be the leaft perceptible degree diverted from the wire into that body. But, inafmuch as the human body is an apt conductor, though inferior to metallic fubftances, a fhock may be railed fo high that a part, in this circumftar.ee, would be taken into the human body from the wire. A building that is lengthy, fhould have a rod at each end of the houfe ; or if there is but one funnel carried out, and that nearly in the centre of the houfe, the rod fhould be ex- tended eighteen or twenty feet, at leaft, above the chimney, that the attraction of the points z 270 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY may be the fooner felt by the approaching lightning; left, by fome oblique direction of the body of fire, it fhould efcape the points and fall upon the houfe. But a better method to fecure a large build- ing, would be to raife one rod in the centre, as before defcribed, and to weld on two arms a little above the ridge, extending their points to the two extremes of the building : fuch a position of the points would undoubtedly catch the falling lightning, in whatever direc- tion it might approach a building. The lower end of the rod fliould be funk fix or eight feet into the earth, and a bufhel or two of charcoal placed round the bottom of the rod ; the coal will feparate the body of fire into thoufands of fmall particles, by which means it will be the more readily abforbed in the earth, and pre- vent its ploughing up the ground. Cautions in time of Lightning. As it is undoubtedly true that lightning, or the electric fhock, inclines to fome conductors, in preference to others which are lefs apt or fuitable ; and as the human body is a more apt or fuitable conductor of this efiluvia, than the materials which commonly compofe a building, whether they be wood, brick, ftone, &c. it is not difficult to infer the danger that the human body is expofed to, by touching the fides of a building, at the inftant a body of lightning falls upon it. The inftant the elec- INVESTIGATED. 271 trie body touches a building, that whole build- ing is plus-electrified, and the body of fire in- itantaneoufly feels its beft paflage through the building. An electrician might eafily account for all its windings and various directions through the houfe ; and it will make ufe of every the leaft preferable conductor that is in contact with any perpendicular part of the building, although they may be fometimes in a horizontal position. From thefe principles it is, that people are always ilain who are found in contact with the upright parts of a building, deftitute of rods, when ftruck by lightning ; wdiile others, in the fame building, will often efcape unhurt. It is not often known, that people in the middle of a large room are flain by the fliock, although they may be ftun- ned : and when it fo happens that^ they are flain in fuch a part of the building, it is com- monly in confequence of the fliock being con- ducted by fome apt conveyance, and difcharg- ed from its extremity into a direction with the perfon in the room : fuch may be fire- arms, fwords, &c. The lock of a mufket would undoubtedly difcharge it upon the head of a perfon fitting or ftanding under it. Such metallic instruments ought to be kept out of a dwelling-room, or hung perpendicularly down the fides of a room, with the lower extremi- ties nigh the floor. It is more fafe to fit low in a room, than to let the head approach nigh the flooring over head, left the head attract 272 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY the fliock from the materials above, to it- felf, being a better conductor. In choc iirg the fafeft place in a room, let the greateft dif- tance from any of the fides, be that of a fire- place, efpecially if there is a body of fmokc af- cending : The fmoke, as I have experienced, will conduct the efiluvia ; hence the licrlitnincr most commonly comes down the chimney : wherefore take the greateft diftance from a fire-place. When there is lightning in the night, draw your bed two or three feet from the fides of the room, left the fire ftrike off the fide into the bed, and kill you. People in the fields are apt to take flielter under a tree, in time of a thunder-fhower ; but this is highly imprudent ; and fometimes mowers will hang their fcythes over their heads, on the fame tree. In this circumstance, people have been found dead, lying in a direc- tion with the points of their fcythes, from which the fhock was emitted into their heads. Perhaps they might have efcaped, had they placed themfelves in a contrary position with their fcythes. Moreover there is danger from the fplinters, if the lightning is conducted deeply into the tree, which is often the cafe, efpecially in pines : the fap of a pine is a non- conductor ; and hence pine trees more fre- quently receive the lightning into their hearts, and confequently are blown aiunder from top to bottom. INVESTIGATED. 273 From all thefe obfervations, it appears to be every one's duty to keep at a diftance from treea in time of lightning, and ufe all prudent means, fince we now know the nature of this element, to efcape dangers by it; which is as much our duty, as to provide againft wind, rain, or dan- ger from any other difaftrous contingency in nature; neither can it imply any diftruft of Divine Providence. Some further Direclions for ufing Eleclricity. As ele&rifying, in a proper manner, is not only a restorative of health when it is loft, in an extraordinary degree ; but alfo an extenfive preventative of difeafes in general, (even when they become epidemic and very mortal, under particular circumftances) in thofe who ufe it in a manner favourable to its true principles; or if difeafe fhould appear in a perfon who hath been under a prudent ufe of electricity as a preventative of difeafe, which I have never known to happen, it muft be ™ld, andwfily fluns: off. As to fever, it is impoffible, in the nature of things, that it fhould commence in any perfon that fhall ufe this truly anti-febrile fpecific in manner and degree which is now to be prefcribed. c r In pointing out the proper manner of ufing the elearical fliocks, as a preventative of dil- eafe fever in particular, my attention will be nrScioallv turned towards thofe fuffering peo- l TnThenMetropolis of feveral of our fea-Ports 274 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY in the United States, and may be equally fer- viceable to any others in the like circumftan- ces; and not only fo, but may afford fuflicient information on the mode of treatment in dif- fimilar circumftances, varying according to the nature of the prevailing difeafe. The fever which hath, for fome years paft, threatened to depopulate New-York, Philadel- phia, &c. and may possibly attack them again, in its progrefs hurries on to fudden death. It may not always be fife, even with electricity at hand, to fuffer an attack of the fever, in fome habits, without, at leaft, preparing the fyftem to re- ceive it mildly: In order for which, I will pre- fcribe the beft methods m my power. Let per- fons of a firm, robust Isabit, electrify once in a day, efpecially if the difeafe is very prevalent; the number of fhocks muft be difcretionary, obferving to take fo many as will be furticient to promote perfpiration freely, with a trifle of exercife. Sometinfcs it will be fufficient to electrify once in two or three days, as people are differently affected by the fhocks; but fo many of the fliocks muft be taken as will keep the fluids fufficiently attenuated, the fecretions in free action, the perfpiration voluntary and eafy. Thefe operations being made in the fyf- tem, it will be impoffible for any morbid, in- creafed action to arife in the fyftem: the cauf- > es of morbid heat are intirely^cut off; and it is impoffible, in the nature of things, for fever to ar|ie. And, even if fever has, in any degree, INVESTIGATED. 275 Us rife from the crafamentum of the blood, as fome fuppofe, electrifying -Will reduce the craf- amentum, as I have often obferved when I have ufed it frequently ort the fame perfon, efpecial- ly if perfpiration is kept up. If any will drink ardent fpirits, it will be neceffary for fuch to ufe the fliock more frequently than thofe who make little or ho ufe of them. The number of fliocks neceffary for a robust perfon to take daily, may be from fix to twelve; fome of which, being the laft on each time of electrify- ing, fhould be paffed from the fides of the neck to the feet. Foulness of the ftomach, and cof- tivenefs, muft be carefully avoided by their proper remedies. If, by any means, as by fud- den cold, fymptoms of fever fliould appear, then the whole procefs by electricity, as direct- ed for fever, muft be immediately reforted to: the whole fafety by electricity, is fufpended on the immediate application of it to the patient. People of delicate habits will be equally fe- cured againft fever by an application reduced to the degree of their diminifhed ftrength: they may obferve the fame decorum; that is, to electrify juft fo much, and fo frequently as will fubject them to an eafy, voluntary perfpi- ration, but not profufe. The only thing to be regretted in the ufe of the electric fhock, is, that the fubject of it is neceffarily fubjected to a ftrict attention to a fteady degree of warmth: this muft be attend- ed to, or a fudden cold will, in all probability, 176 MEDICAL ELECTRICITY, &c. induce that fame difeafe which you are endeav- ouring tcr avoid. People who labour, fliould provide themfelves with warm clothing, to be put on as foon as they defift labour; and watch all opportunities of danger from every quar- ter. VlV /j? VfC" VR VK' ')jf ?R THOUGHTS ON THE TIMES. IF we may believe the facred historians, as well as fome others whofe accounts corrob- orate the former in many inftances, mankind have experienced certain events which have dif- tinguifhed their eras with very fignal import- ance: And, it is further obfervable, that about the epoch of thefe events, there has been a gen- eral alarm given to mankind of their approach. We will go no farther back, than to the incar- nation of the Mefliah: It is evident from the fcriptures, and from other writings, that there was a general alarm given to the Jews of his approach; the whole Jewifh nation were ex- pecting of him at the very time he came. Bifhop Andrews mentions nine counterfeit Mef- fiahs, who fprung up about the fame time; un- doubtedly at the inftigation of Satan, to elude the true one. If we may believe Jofephus, the destruction of the Jewifh nation was announced from heav- en, by omens aftonifhing to man; and, accord- ing to St. Luke, our Lord marked the time of his fecond coming by fimilar omens, and m* timated that the effect of them upon mankind in general would be much the fame: for as the Jews either paffed them unnoticed, or mifcon- ftrued them, fo it is at this day. If I miftake Aa 378 THOUGHTS on the TIMES. hot, an event big with fate is juft before lis, but unnoticed, even by thofe who are employ- ed as instruments to introduce the important fcenery; I mean thofe whom Heaven employs to eftablifh to man his unalienable rights, civil and religious, called, in the Revelations, the two Witneffes: This is a neceffary prelude to the difplay of his grace, in the Millennium.— If the general expectation of the Messiah, by the Jews, is an evidence that he did come at that time, which may be admitted; then it fol- lows, that the univerfal expectation of his fec- ond coming, by all under the gofpel, who keep their eyes upon the facred index, and compare it with the prefent appearances, in church and ftate, in the natural and fpiritual worlds, is an evidence that the era draws near: On the oth- er hand, the general prevalency of infidelity, of darknefs and obfeurity, that fo pervades the minds of the greater part of mankind, that they cannot difcern any colouring of evidence that the fcriptures are of divine original. The man of fin, who hath juft now furnifhed this fund of infidelity; the great abilities of his in- struments, Paines, Volneys, &c. all fix this day, and determine it to be under the theme of prophecy. The powers of heaven are fhaken, and the stars are falling to the earth;* that is, * Mr. Pope might have fpared himfelf the tafk of combat- ing this paffage, from the lips of a divine teacher: (vide PoJ>e's Effay on Man. J " Let ruling angels from their fpherei be hurl'd, " Being on being wreck'd, and world on world; THOUGHTS on the TIMES. 279 the power of the Christian faith is fhaken; and even the preachers of the gofpcl, called stars, are declining the faith in Cnrift, and are turn- ing to the beggarly elements, the world. This day is like the cloud that flood between the armies of Ifrael and the Egyptian host: it gives light to them who defire light, but darknefs to the others. So we read in the Revelations, " The angel poured out his vial upon the feat of the beaft, and his kingdom was filled with darknefs; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blaf- phemed the God of heaven" We have feen the vial executed upon the feat of the beaft, in part at leaft: the papal power, and his kingdom, is aftonifhingly filled with darknefs; the whole French nation are funk into a difbelief of the facred writings. But the feat of the beaft may extend to all who are not born of God: for this darknefs is almoft inftantaneous through- out the Chriftian world. " And they gnawed their tongues for pain" This may be under- ftood of that gloominefs of mind, which it is importible for a man to avoid, who falls from that exalted expectation of the refurreftion from the dead, and the hope of immortal life, into the miferable uncertainty even of any ex- »« Heav'n's whole foundations to their centre noJ, •« And nature tremble to the throne of God. " All this dread order break ! for whom ? for thee i " Vils wr.rch! O MoHcf, priJ;, impietv." It is certain that our Lord is not lite.ally to be .inderftood in th - pafTa.re : But we know, that by heaven we underftand lUe church millitant, and by ftars, the teachers of the word. 280 THOUGHTS on the TIMES. iftence at all beyond the prefent ftate: and, cer- tainly, if they deny the Lord that bought them, and call him a hypocrite, an impostor, and, if I may dare to write it, a baftard, no one will doubt that they blafpheme the God of heav- en. I write not this to upbraid any man; but, if any of my readers fhould be overcome and darkened by this judicial flood, which hath fpread itfelf throughout the Christian world, I muft befeech him to be careful of himfelf, to be careful of the feduction of the times, and finally, to.be careful that he doth not blafpheme God in the perfon of the holy Galilean, left God fhould refent it, to his own incalculable lofs. Again, we read, " Thefpirit of life from God pervaded the dead bodies in theflreets of the great city Babylon; and they arofe, and flood upon their feet, an exceeding great army, about twenty-fix mill- ions" as we are now able to number that army of Frenchmen, called the two witneffes, or wit- nefles to two things, viz. the civil and religious rights of man. This hath been done before our eyes—the prophecy amply fulfilled; but who heeds it? A few, as I faid before, who keep their eyes upon the facred index, that points to them and us to obferve them, if we will. But obferve, this fpirit of life, &c. does not imply fan deifying grace, but only a refolute civil com- pact, by which they, viz. the French nation, re- folved, almoft as one man, to break the bands of civil and religious tyranny,and aflume their un- alienable rights. To this Heaven bore them wit- THOUGHTS on the TIMES. 281 nefs, and gave them ample fuccefs againft their enemies, who are infatiably voracious for the ufurpation of all rights. And, notwithftand- ing the prefent ceflation of hostilities, there is no doubt but that there is more to be done by thefe two witnefies; they muft proceed to the utter overthrow of this ufurpation, and eftabr lifh the broad bafis of civil and religious liber- ty among the nations. Heaven may not make ufe of the fame instruments; but thefpirit will be one, and the fuccefs of it one, till an effect- ual door is opened for the difplay of gofpel grace with great power. The oppofition to this reform, Heaven will punifli, in various forms, till it is brought to filence: Hence it is prudent, not only for nations, but for individ- uals, to take heed that they are not found even to fight againft God: I muft own, that I have always thought that the befom of de- struction, which has fwept away, in fo dread- ful a manner, thoufands of people from fever- al of our metropolis cities, during our fhame- ful contempt and ungrateful neglect of a fifter republic, was nothing lefs than the finger of God pointed againft us. And that i-'resident Adams made a great miftake, when he faid, "the finger of God was pointed againft France." It is more likely to me, that had not we point- ed fo many fingers againft the two witnefies, the finger of God would not have been fo em- inently pointed againft us. Bcfides, we h;.d juft been liberated from, the f.;me accurft fpirit a a 28 z THOUGHTS on the TIMES. of ufurpation, and not without the interposi- tion of Heaven, who alfo made us friends of that very nation which he was juft about to liberate, and fent them, as it were, to light their torch at our flame. But the American gold became dim, as though it was cankered by the ruft of the Britifh court: we could look calm- ly on, and fee our fifter republic, as we pre- tended to call them, struggling through feas of blood, opprefled on every hand; and we fport- ed with their calamity; we joined affinity with their bloody enemies; we banifhed them from our coaft; at the nod of a Britifh fycophant, we curfed them: Our nation piled all the ca- lumnies upon them; yea, vied with Britain, which fhould stamp the moft indelible (lain up- on them. And for what was all this done? What old tory can hold up his head, and not blufh to anfwer to this charge of ingratitude on America—this cowardly deed, for which Mr. Adams plead, when he faid, "the fate of France was fufpended upon a thread!" Me- thinks that thread almighty cannot be broken. The truth is, our government faw not the na- ture of the conteft—that thefe times came un- der the theme of prophecy: But that was not all; we had too many old tories in office; and we became corrupted, till Heaven made war upon the feats of this pollution. Indeeed, I am fo fanguine in the belief of this, that I hefitated not to tell fome gentlemen, at Catfkill, in the fpring of the year 1801, that I doubted not that THOUGHTS on the TIMES. 28* the revolution taking place in our government, would flop this pestilential war that Heaven was making upon us: fo far it appears to be veri- fied; and I am fo confident that this was a ju- dicial fcourge, that I will venture, in this pub- lic manner, to give it as my opinion, that this fcourge will be flayed, in proportion as we give the friendly hand to the two witnefies. But, it may be objected, we have been lefs guilty than others, who have drawn the fword, and made war upon them, and feem to efcape with impunity To wdiich I anfwer: The mur- derers of Stephen, or of his Divine Mafter, ap- pear to have efcaped with impunity; while An- nanias and his wife, for a feemingly lefs crime, were ftruck dead. Let me obferve, the great drama, which ultimately will revolutionize all nations, was firft opened in America, and was accompanied with feveral phenomena in the heavens, which diftinguifhed it from all wars •fince the deftruction of the Jewifh nation. The firft ftep in the kingdom of Providence, was taken in America, to introduce the reign of peace confidently with enlightened minds, and to pave the way for the reign of his grace; an earneft of which, and a fpecimen, was given on the day of pentecoft. This being the peculiar fituation of America, or our part of it at leait, and Heaven being determined to accomphfn the work firft, where it was firft begun, the line s dr^wn upon us, and we muft submit to the ftraightnefs of it, or fuffer the confequences of &U THOUGHTS on the TIMES. refilling the immediate agency of Heaven a- mong the nations. Hence, I am not afhamed to fay, it is not without the fuperintendance of Providence,*that men, who are, in their hearts, unfriendly to the eftablifhment of the equal rights of man, are put downfrom office, in the United States—" the finger of God is pointed againft them." No matter who is the instrument, God is the caufe. Think not that I am electioneering for a par- ty; in that refpect, 1 have no interest to prompt me to write a fyllable, neither have I any mo- tive for fo doing, but only to fhew that the times demand that we keep an eye upon the prophecies—that we follow the cloudy pillar— that, in giving our fuffrages, we be careful to examine the character of the candidate : Is he favourable to the two witnefies? Are the rights of man facred to him? kc. kc. If I could be heard to the feat of government, I would ad- drefs myfelf to our greatly-beloved Jefferfon : Hail Patriot! favoured of Heaven! go on to co-operate with the Prince of Peace: fear not thy oppofers—"the finger of God is pointed against them"—it dethroned thy predeceflbr-— it will put them all to fhame. This is the day, long looked for, in which politics involve proph- ecies, and prophecies politics: The eye of Heav- en is now fixed upon politicians; if they thwart the purpofes of their Celestial President, "his finger is pointed againft them.,, .•;. X The prefent times demand a degree of feriouf- ?i THOUGHTS on the TIMES. 285 nefs, which, by the way,»is much out of fafh- ion; and no man can act confiftently, in polit- ical concerns, who doth not view the prefent revolution as a prelude to the millennium, and conduct himfelf, or the concerns intrusted to him, as knowing the great Revolutionist takes a minute cognizance of him. To be brief, the true politician fuftains a dig- nified character at the prefent day. To fuch I addrefs my closing lines: Keep your eyes upon the end that Heaven hath in view; lend all your aid to eftablifh freedom and equality among mankind—to fupprefs the intrigues of the abet- tors of tyranny and ufurpation ; fet your faces as a flint againft them, nor be partakers of their crimes: Feel the dignity of acting in concert with the King Immortal, expecting, ere long, to fee the myftery of God finiflied ; when, by the feventh trumpet, every mountain of mon- archy, or ifland of ufurpation, fhall be moved out of its place, and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Chrift. FINIS. ERRATA. Page iq—20, for ••imparted," read mpaEi.d. Paee 22, feventh line from top, for "by," rtad faft. Pale 17 U eighth line from bottom, for '• iternum, read Jter-um 1 Do. fifth line fiom bottom, for "turned down," rud turn Jcwntari. Paze 188, add, in the parenthefis, in fuch cafes. p,pc 2iz. fixietnthlii.e from top, for "and," re»d ?/. 1% lz\\ eighltcuth hue from top, f.r ««nmiMtio«,» read r«^:»«. INDEX. Page. ANIMAL life aflifted by fire, &c.....14 ---------a£tion of, &c. defcribed .... 16 Air, caufe of its ttanfparency.......33 —— elafticity of, to what afcribed.....21 -----motion, caufe of.........4* ----- caufe of various fhtftings.......43 St. Anthony's fire, how treated ......114 Ague defcribed, method of cute . . . . . . 13' Aflhma, manner of treatment.......174 Bruifes, treatment of .........224 Burns and fcalds, foon cured by eledhicity . . . 237 Currents in the oceans.........39 ■ ----their ufe in the torrid zone .... 40 Comets, what conftitutes them fuch, &c. ... 54 Confumption, gentle treatment of......149 Cholic, different, and how treated .....17f Cancers, treatment of .........i8<5 Caiaraft, difficult to cure........207 Debility, how treated by eleftricity.....80 Dropfy..............158 -------Anafarfa, how cured .......159 ------- Afcites, cure more doubtful.....ibid. —'■----inftances of betterment . . 159, 160, 162 Dyfentary, eledricity a certain cure.....166 Diabates .............ll6 Deafnefs .............l9$ Drowning.............234 Electrometer, how made........ 27 _________ its various ufes, how affe&ed by light . 29 Earth, diurnal rotation of........45 .____________------caufe of.......4^ ____. inequality of motion evidence of the doctrine 49 _____inequality of diurnal rotation of .... 50 __________________- caufe of.......51 ____._____________- proves the doclrine ... 53 ____ eliptic motion of, and caufe of.....55 ____ tevolution round the fun, caufe of ... . 57 INDEX. Page. Electricity fpiritualized......65 to 69 Epilepfy, treatment of.........144 Eyes, inflamed........... 197 Eye-lids, motion of, and cure.......210 Electricity a great medicine . . . . 216 to 227 —-----— to be ufed as a preventative of difeafe . 272 Fire, different ftates of ......... 25 Fever, remarks on, how to be treated .... 97 Film, cure of ........; , . 197 Fiftula Lachrymalis, how treated......209 Felon or whitlow, and cure oF . . . . . . 231 Gout, cure difficult......... • 164 ----- Dr. Cavallo's practice in ......ibid. ----- infolation neceffary ........165 Gutta Serena, always helped or cured .... 199 Hyileric8, treatment of . . . . . *■ . • • 14° Headache, different kinds of, and cure . . . . ibid. Hemorrhage) various kinds of, method of cure . , 210 Hemorrhoids, treatment of ,..,..,. 217 Infolation, its agency in animal life.....82 -----.---- muft be continued....... 84 ---------ftimulates, &c.......85, 87 ---------natural and artificial compared . 85, 86 _________reply to objections againft .... ibid. ■ ----- manner and means of *.....89 King's evil, electricity a certain cure of . . . . 18$ Light, caufe of...........3° ----- reverberatory action of.......41 Locked jaw or joint, treatment of ..... 221 Lightning, how to imitate it.......262 _________how to extract it from the cloud : . 264 _________natural and artificial, compared . . . 266 Lightning-rods, their ufe ........267 _—_____ cautions in time of.......268 Monfoons, caufe of.......... 42 _________are in conformity to the currents of water tbid. Madnefs, treatment of .........122 -------inftances of cure df .......126 Menfea obftructed, various remedies for . . .. . 185 Machine, elearical. how to build......^^^ INDEX. Page. Malgam, how to prepare it.....: . . 156 Newtonian principles erroneous 46, 47, 59, 62, 631 64 Nerves, contra&ion of.........229 —:----recent contractions of, curable .... ibid. -------method of cure.......• • »^- Phyficians ignorant of eleftricity, and many hate it 83, 95 Peripneumony, and how treated ......lQ8 Pleurify, how treated..........»'' Palfy...............153 manner of treatment of........156 Pains in different parts..........*3« • Perfpiration fuppreffed .........237 Quinfy, fuddenly cured.........194 Rarifaction, how induced ,.,*.«,. 38 --------•- illuftrated..........41 ... alternation of, and different degrees of . 4a --------- determines diftances from fun, and motion 61 Rheumatifm, inflammatory, how treated . . . . 115 Rickets, electricity a cure of.......220 Remarks, fundry, on electricity, &c......138 Sun, of what formed, and is the envoy of heaven . 32 _____prefence gives law to his fyftem * . . . » ibid. -----repels comets, at given diftances, &c. ... 54 Shock, how conducted, and variations of . . 70, 87 -------exceffive aft ion of • • .'.....7* -------a due proportion of, a certain cure of fever 7$ — muft be repeated, and proven to be a cure . 79 Sore throat, inflammatory, how treated . . . . 119 Small-pox and mealies, their treatment .... 120 Sprain, or ftrain........... 230 Trade-wind, caufe and focus of ...... 42 Tides, their caufe, inequality and retardation of . 46 _____ varied by a full moon, and focus of ... 48 Urine fuppreffed, &c. eleftricity a cure of . . . 178 Ulcers and abfceffes, mode of treatment . . . . 217 Vegetable life accelerated by fire .;.... 15 St. Vitua's dance, treatment of ......138 Vertigo, cure of...........*94 Wounds, how treated .........232 27<3 A 6j52& >a«aiii