malignancy of the case from which the is plain that if this be correct there must plant has been taken. We next made a series of experiments of inoculating rabbits with cultivated micrococci, and succeeded in producing diphtheria with the second generation, but never with any later product. This success, taken in conjunction with the urine experiments already spoken of, seems to us sufficient to establish the fact that the micrococci are the fons et origo mali of diphtheria. The experiments of Pasteur and others have proven that it is possible for an inert organism to be changed into one possessed of most virulent activity, or vice versa, and we believe that we can offer direct proof that the micrococci of the mouth are really identical in species with the micrococci of diphtheria, and do not merely seem to be so. We exposed the Ludington membrane for some weeks to the air in a dried condition. There was no putridity or other change detectable in it; but, whereas formerly it had been most virulent, now it was inert, and its micrococci not only looked like those taken from an ordinary angina, but acted like them. They were not dead, they had still power of multiplication, but they no longer grew in the culture-fluid beyond the third or fourth generation. Certainly they were specifically the same as they had been, and certainly, therefore, the power of rapid growth in culture-fluids and in the body of the rabbit is not a specific character of the diphtheria micrococcus. As is well known, Pasteur attributes the change from an active to an inert organism to the influence of the oxygen of the air upon the organism. Whether this be true of the diphtheria micrococcus is uncertain, but the effects of exposure of the dried membrane seem to point in such direction. With the facts that are known in regard to the clinical history of diphtheria and those which we have determined in our research, it is easy to make out a theory of the disease which reconciles all existing differences of opinion and seems to be true. A child gets a catarrhal angina or trachitis. Under the stimulation of the inflammation products the inert micrococci in the mouth begin to grow; and, if the conditions be favorable, the sluggish plant may be finally transformed into an active organism, and a self-generated diphtheria results. It be every grade of case between one which is fatal and one which is checked before it fairly passes the bounds of an ordinary sore throat. Every practitioner knows that such diversity does exist. Again, conditions outside of the body favoring the passage of inert into active micrococci may exist, and the air at last become well loaded with organisms, which, alighting upon the tender throats of children, may begin to grow and themselves produce violent angina, trachitis, and finally fatal diphtheria. In the first instance we have endemic diphtheria as we see it in Philadelphia; in the second, the malignant epidemic form of the disease as it existed in Ludington. It is also apparent that in the endemic cases the plant whose activity has been developed within the patient may escape with the breath, and a second case of diphtheria be produced by contagion. It is also plain that as the plant gradually in such a case passes from the inert to the active state, there must be degrees of activity in the contagium, one case being more apt to give the disease than is another; also that the malignant diphtheria must be more contagious than the mild endemic cases. We think there is scarcely a practitioner who will not agree that clinical experience is in accord with these logical deductions from our experimentally-determined premises. It yet remains for us to investigate as to what are the conditions outside of the body which will especially favor the production of active micrococci, and also to study the effects of agents in killing these organisms; for it is very apparent that local treatment of the throat must often be of the utmost importance, and that it will be far more effective if it be of such character as to kill the micrococci, and not simply be antiphlogistic in its action. CHLORAL HYDRATE IN TOOTHACHE.-Dr. Spörer recommends that three to four lumps of hydrate of chloral (0.03-0.06 gramme) should be inserted into the hollow and painful tooth, the chloral being allowed to dissolve. He has treated thirty-eight cases successfully in several cases of hemicrania resulting from in this way, and has also obtained good results carious teeth.-St. Petersburg. Med. Wochenschrift, No. 35, 1880; Centralblatt f. Chirurgie, December 11, 1880. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. THE APPLICATION OF STATIC BY W. R. D. BLACKWOOD, M.D., THE electrical phenomena attendant on town, and Kleist, canon of the cathedral of Kamin, in Pomerania, also claim the honor. The machine was greatly improved by the addition of the jar or condenser, which accumulates and holds for a time large quantities of electricity of low potential, which, in the limited field of the jar, the old scientists spoke of as bound, to distinguish it from the free field of the open air. In 1752 the famous kite experiment of Franklin proved the identity of lightning and statical electricity; and as I was taught at the University of Pennsylvania that the favorite ground of the philosopher whilst thus experimenting was that recently occupied by the building of my alma mater, and understand that the same claim is now held for the locality of our confrères at the Jefferson Medical College, I have by investigation reconciled these momentous theories by definitely ascertaining the true locality at which the cloud-spark was brought to earth as being a few feet northeast of the intersection, as it now stands, of Locust and Thirteenth Streets, the foresight of our illustrious townsman in selecting this favored spot in view of its classic associations of to-day being equalled only by the universal adaptation of electricity to the scientific and popular wants of the wide world. po, "amber," by Dr. Gilbert, of Colchester, physician to Queen Elizabeth of England, who published a book in A.D. 1600, entitled "De Arte Magnetica," in which magnetic and electric phenomena were skilfully handled. The earliest known machine for generating the subtile fluid was constructed by Otto von Guericke, a burgomaster of Magdeburg, the chief city of Prussian Saxony, whose work, "Exper-class imenta Nova Magdeburgica," published in 1672, describes it as being a sphere of sulphur rotated on an axis and rubbed by a cloth or cat-skin pressed on it by the hand. In 1709 a glass cylinder rubbed by the dry hand was substituted for the sulphur globe by Hawksbee, of London; and twenty years later Grey, a pensioner at the Charter-House, and Wehler, transmitted electricity from one point to another, and distinguished conductors from non-conductors. From 1733 to 1765 Dufay showed the identity of electrics and nonconductors and non-electrics and conductors, and discovered the two kinds of electricity, vitreous and resinous, whilst Boze, a professor at Wittenberg, adapted the prime conductor, and Winkler, of Leipsic, added the fixed cushion. In 1746 the Leyden jar was invented by Muschenbroek, of Leyden, on the old Rhine, near Rotterdam, Holland; but a rich burgomaster, Cuneus, of the same In 1768, Ramsden invented the platemachine, which was gradually improved from time to time, the best form of this now extant being that of Winter: the Carres and Bertsch dielectric apparatus also holds a high position. The most important modification, however, was the production, by Holtz, of Berlin, in 1865, of his celebrated instrument, in which cushions are discarded, the loss by friction being thus reduced to the minimum, quantity much increased; and through it the study of static electricity has been greatly facilitated. A very recent addition to this fine apparatus has rendered it as nearly perfect for medical purposes as our present knowledge would lead us to expect. The acme of perfection in machines for experimental illustration is reached in the magnificent development by Van Marum, of Holland, now exhibiting at Paris. To retrace a little. Galvani, in 1786, discovered the constant current, galvanism, it being further investigated by Volta, who devised, in 1799, the Voltaic pile; and Faraday, in 1837, published his researches on induction currents, from which, through electro-magnetism, such marvellous effects have been attained in the intercommunication of printed and articulate speech, in electric lighting, and in hundreds of applications to the arts and sciences, many of which are either mysteries to the public or even unknown. Seebeck, in 1821, discovered thermo-electricity; and the varieties referred to, with magnetism, bring this brief sketch of electrical history up to date, much interesting material being necessarily passed by from lack of time in which to consider it. In the early days of therapeutics, charms, incantations, mesmerism, and like mummery occupied a considerable share of credit with the people, and by natural descent (or ascent) this plan of gulling their patrons has been inherited by the homoeopathic fraternity, whose power over the imagination of their dupes is alike widespread and incomprehensible. It is to be hoped that the tendency on the part of certain so-called popular or fashionable physicians in regular practice to pander to the lassitude of brains in many of their wealthy patients, by leaning towards such jugglery as is evident at present, will be promptly and decidedly frowned down. In the olden time the occult electrical force was freely used by physicians of all schools, empirically at best; yet cures apparently marvellous are reported as having thereby been worked in cases otherwise unmanageable. The principles upon which rational medicine were based as they became better understood assigned static electricity to a legitimate and not by any means narrow field, in which, through the instrumentality of skilful men, much good was then and is now done; and had it not been for inherent difficulties in its application, which were not overcome until lately, its usefulness would at this time have been more widely known, and it would have been more generally employed. For reasons hereafter stated, the increasing use of galvanism and faradism in nervous disorders threw static electro-therapeutics into the shade; and, with very few exceptions indeed, those gentlemen who employ electricity at present in practice have paid no attention whatever to this branch of the subject. That static electricity, properly used, possesses great value is beyond question, the evidence of eminent practitioners, especially in Europe,-as Wilks, of England, Clemens, of Germany, Sewanda, of Austria, Vigoreux, of France,-proving the correctness of this statement. For nearly thirty years past I have been interested in general electrical studies, and from 1866 the subject of electro-therapeutics has occupied much of my time. Having during this period given special attention to static electricity, despite the disadvantages surrounding its successful use, I hope the effort to awaken a new interest in it will not be felt as an undue trespass upon your attention. As this form of electricity was formerly much used in therapeutics, yet was discarded until lately, there must have been some reason for its abandonment; and, briefly stated, the discouraging efforts to obtain uniform results from even the higher-class machines of to-day are such as to require more interest and patience than most practitioners command. In damp weather they work feebly or not at all; and the effort to remedy this defect by the isolation of the machine in air-tight cases with contained vessels of calcium chloride, anhydrous phosphoric or sulphuric acid, etc., have failed long ago. The refusal to act does not always depend on dampness, but at times the electrical atmospheric and earth tension is so low as to render the best apparatus difficult to start. The high cost of the instrument was also an impediment, and this being true of the carefully-made modern apparatus made the use of the less perfect mechanism in the past impossible. Within a short time past the Holtz has been modified by Toepler, of Riga, and also by Voss; and Messrs. James W. Queen & Co., of this city, have still further improved it, the result being a machine with which static electricity is produced in large quantity and high tension, the sparks being quite dense and very long in proportion to the size of the instrument. It works admirably in almost every atmospheric condition, even when sprayed with water, and is moderate in price. When ordinary machines will not work and this is sluggish, a few sparks from a Ruhmkorff coil will charge the armatures and insure perfect action. Those who take interest in experimental work in this direction have. now at their command an exceedingly handsome and valuable apparatus. With the advent of Queen's ToeplerHoltz, the relative value of the different forms of apparatus is equalized; indeed, in some respects the static machine has superior claims. In the hands of competent persons it is not so difficult to keep in order as galvanic and faradic instruments, and it costs nothing to run when driven manually; and an exceedingly perfect electric motor can now be had which rotates it at a cost so moderate as to be virtually disregarded, the battery also, as arranged by myself, furnishing a galvano-caustic current, if desired, of sufficient quantity for ordinary office purposes. Dynamic apparatus, on the contrary, is continually burning up zinc in proportion to the de no true induction takes place; but, as a The machine illustrated consists of a stationary adjustable back plate and a revolving front plate. When put in motion, a small quantity of the electricity generated on the revolving plate is taken from the small metallic disks by brushes on the arms, a a', and transferred to the armatures, c c', on the back plate. This plate, when charged, reacts upon the revolving plate by induction, and electricity is taken therefrom by combs on the horizontal cross-arms, and passes by spark between the discharging-rods, rr. When the condensers, i i', are removed, the flow is continuous and of low tension; when they are in position, as represented in the cut, the discharge is in high tension, the sparks being smaller and more rapid, as the sliding. rods, r', are near each other, and slower and denser, the greater the separation of the balls. The vertical cross-arm equalizes the charge on the revolving plate, and prevents the carrying of the positive charge to the negative inductor, and the negative to the positive. The arm should connect the upper left-hand disk with the lower right-hand disk of the armatures on the main plate. The revolution is (on the upper edge) from left to right. Charges of great quantity can be had through one or more Leyden jars, the potential being regulated by the size and number of jars employed. mand made upon it. The faradic induc- | discharging-rods as in the ordinary use of The assertion has lately been made that, although the term "induced current" is admissible for convenience of expression, With the desire to interest the profession, if possible, in the value of static electricity, and to aid in even a slight way in rescuing it from undeserved oblivion, I wrote, last January, a short paper for the Medical and Surgical Reporter on the subject; but unseen delay, through the loss of an electrotype cut, prevented its publication till March 12, when it was followed by a series in the New York Medical Record, by Dr. Morton, of that city. Subsequently other articles have appeared, both in domestic and in foreign journals; and it is to be hoped that practical results superior to those obtained heretofore will be secured by static electricity in the much better light thrown upon obscure nervous diseases by the present race of great pathologists than was possible in the past, under less advanced teaching. In a paper on "The Treatment of Dysmenorrhoea by Electricity," which I had the honor to read before this Society at its first meeting in the autumn of 1880, the following sentence occurred: "A most valuable but neglected method in neuralgia, not alone of uterine origin, but of all types, is the use of static electricity from the Holtz or Bertsch machine, which will often succeed after failure of all other proceedings." A few cases in illustration of its value are now briefly given. A. B., a case of melancholia persistent for four years, intensifying periodically without apparent cause, in all except the mental state well developed and healthy, habits regular, and not at any time hysterical or excitable. She had received medical treatment for more than three years from different physicians without perceptible benefit, including a brief residence in a private asylum. The circumstances of the family prohibited change of scene, which with new associations might have been of service. Drugs failing, she was referred to me for electrical treatment, her physician being glad to drop the case. I put her on general faradization four times a week, with some benefit after a month's trial, but, not being satisfied myself, I substituted static electricity, and her improvement in another month was decidedly greater, and then she was at times not only cheerful, but her interest in surrounding affairs was noticeable to her associates. This method of treatment, without any auxiliary, in four months did more towards recovery than all former plans combined, and so far the improvement is permanent. She was treated by simple charging when insulated tri-weekly, the condition being maintained for half an hour at each time, and, although to my mind she is yet abnormally depressed at times, she is in every way better, and her friends consider her recovery perfect, which opinion, after all, is in more ways than one weightier with the neighbors than mine. Her last physician, an extremely polite gentleman, agrees with the family: hence I concede the verdict and consider her cured. O. D., a case of well-defined epileptiform hysteria, originating in congested irritable ovaries. Her suffering was intense before and during menstruation, and more or less decided paroxysms were obtainable through pressure upon the ovaries at any time. I put her at once upon static electrical treatment, applied generally and with special attention to the foci of irritation. The sittings were triweekly, occasionally daily, and in two months she was marvellously improved, to quote her mother's words. Very decided pressure upon the hysterogenic regions now failed to discompose her, or at most precipitated mild reflex results, and only a day or two ago I noticed how particularly bright and cheerful she was as compared with her condition when I first met her. Nothing in the way of drugging by myself was done during the time mentioned, and the Hoffmann's Anodyne, elixir of valerianate of ammonia, musk, and other antispasmodics which had been relied upon previously in domestic practice were withdrawn totally when she came into my charge. This young lady is a type of thousands of such and she would with some have run a risky cases which are the bane of many physicians, race in the direction of oöphorectomy, the prevalent panacea for such unfortunates. I have every reason to expect a perfect cure in her case; and if decided relief or cure can be successfully looked for by this method in even a fair percentage only of these melancholy girls thus afflicted, it would warrant those dealing largely in nervous diseases to investigate this plan of treatment thoroughly. She Mrs. H. suffered for several years with periodical trifacial neuralgia, which was intensified during menstruation, at which time ovarian neuralgia was usually added. She presented no cause in the way of imperfect teeth, indigestion, or depraved secretory action, nor did her social position expose her to cold or wet. Quinia, iodoform, belladonna, morphia, and other drugs had been exhausted without other than temporary benefit to the face symptoms and none to the ovarian. came to me for electrical treatment, and had thorough galvanic applications locally, with general faradization. Although her strength and nutrition were improved, the paroxysms were apparently merely shortened when present and somewhat delayed, and after a fair trial I became dissatisfied with the progress, which would, doubtless, if persisted in, have ultimately cured her as it has done others; but, in view of a trip to Europe, I wished, if possible, to finish the case prior to her departure. She came to see me one. afternoon when suffering considerably with supra-orbital pain. I had been working with my Holtz, rehearsing some experimental illustrations for a lecture, and, to amuse her while the constant battery was being set up (it having been disconnected for recharging just before she entered), I electrified her pretty thoroughly, and drew sparks from the brow and temple for some minutes, with the effect of completely removing the pain before she left the chair. Both constant and induction currents have done the same thing for me repeatedly, with others, but not in her |