The medical and surgical uses of electricity - including the X-ray, Finsen light, vibratory therapeutics, and high-frequency currents (1903) (14755110981)

Identifier: medicalsurgicalu00rock (find matches)
Title: The medical and surgical uses of electricity : including the X-ray, Finsen light, vibratory therapeutics, and high-frequency currents
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Rockwell, A. D. (Alphonso David), 1840-1925
Subjects: Electricity in medicine Radiotherapy Electric Stimulation Therapy Radiotherapy
Publisher: New York : E. B. Treat & company
Contributing Library: Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine
Digitizing Sponsor: Open Knowledge Commons and Harvard Medical School



Text Appearing Before Image:
Fig. 234.—^Application to the Ab-domen. Fig. 235.—Oscillation of the LowerExtremities. VIBRATORY THERAPEUTICS. ^^7 The local action of rapid vibration wherever applied may be saidto be direct and indirect, or mechanical and reflex. The mechanicaleffects of vibration are similar to those of massage, but the rapidityand power of the former must give it in many cases decided advantage.It is believed to accelerate the flow of lymph and the venous bloodtoward the heart and to dilate the capillary vessels. These local vibra-tions therefore act very much like an aspirating and forcing pump.Mosengeul in 1876 and M. Sargent in 1898 in a paper before the Con-gress of the French Association for the Advancement of Science demon-strated this point very clearly. The former in the use of massage, theother by the method of mechanical vibration. The laboratory experi-ments of M. Colombo* on dogs demonstrated the following effects ofrapid vibration:
Text Appearing After Image:
Pig. 236.—Bihlmaiers Electric Vibrator. 1. The gastric juice was augmented without variation in its con-stituent parts. 2. The biliary secretion was increased when ordinary friction andkneading accomplished nothing. 3. The flow of saliva was greatly increased. 4 Vibration over the kidney occasioned diuresis with abundantdeposit of epithelial debris. 5. Increase of sperm and spermatozoa. 6. Heightened activity of the skin. In functional derangements, the action of the heart is markedlybenefited by both general and local vibratory treatment. In tachycardia its effects are sometimes especially efficient, more soperhaps than those of electricity which has rendered good service. Whilevibratory methods cannot claim to cure organic heart disease, yet chroniccardiopathies are often greatly benefited. The rationale of its action *Memoires de la Societe de Biologic, 1894. •638 ELECTRO-SURGERY. is not difificult to appreciate. It regulates blood pressure. Circulatory-drainage is increased, w