Injuries of nerves and their consequences - Reflex Sympathetic ...

TREATMENT. 247
It is common to find, after a time, that the muscle thus
treated becomes sensitive to a strong induced current,
which, for convenience, may be resorted to in order to
complete the cure. Whatever current is the readiest
excitor is the one to be preferred, and galvanism in traumatic,
as in infantile palsies, is active where induced currents
fail us. It is, however, very largely a question of
time and patience. Muscles which seem only capable of
response to galvanism, will more slowly but surely amend
under the use of a good primary current.
This is fortunate, because few persons at present resort
to galvanism, while induction batteries are within every
one's reach. In using these, I prefer the primary current
as least painful and most efficient; but none of the common
machines for sale in this country have a sufficiently
powerful primary current.
Whatever be the form of electricity we employ,
it is
advisable to lessen the power as the muscles regain their
excitabilit}^, and it is to be remembered that in traumatic
palsy nothing
is more common than to see a muscle
restored to volitional control, Ipng before it is able to
contract at all under the use of faradaic currents.
AVith either induced currents or galvanism, metallic or
carbon conductors covered with chamois-skin or Canton
flannel are to be used ;
and it is not only desirable to
keep them well soaked with warm salt-water, but also,
when the integuments are
to soak the
dry, as in winter,
part itself previously, so as to lessen the resistance of the
skin.
If in the preliminary examination, the induced current
be found competent to move the affected muscles, this
alone may be employed, the two conductors being carried
in turn over every enfeebled muscle,
— one pole being
left, in each case, over the point at which the muscle
nerve enters it. Since even in the induced to-and-fro