Ebook The Principles of Electrotherapy

This book is the outcome of an attempt to explain the therapeutic action of electricity upon rational grounds and upon physiological principles. In Part I current electricity is discussed. The thera peutie action of static electricity is here considered, because it is mainly the currents derived from the static machine, and not the static charge itself, which possess therapeutic action. The static machine serves to generate a static charge, which, when sufficient voltage has been attained, discharges as a current of very low intensity, but of very high potential, and so affords methods of therapy unattainable by other means. The necessity of clearly distinguishing between the polar and inter-polar action of the constant current is pointed out. The action of interrupted currents of low frequency is shown to be due to the relatively high velocity of the hydrogen ion compared to the velocities of the other ions in the tissues.