CASE XIII. Mr. A., from the _clientele_ of Dr. LEONARD WEBER, was sent by Dr. W. to take electric baths. He suffered from chronic spinal congestion. Among the most prominent and annoying symptoms was _agrypnia_. It was for the relief of this symptom chiefly that Dr. W. ordered him the baths. He began to improve in this respect from the time he took his first bath, and although the disease itself remained uncured, he enjoyed good sound sleep while he was under treatment, his general health improved, and he frequently spoke of the notable benefits that he received from the baths. He continued them until his departure for Europe, where, by direction of his physician, he went last spring. I have not seen him since, but Dr. W. tells me that he is doing well.
CASE XIV. Mr. D. was brought on Sept. 30th, 1874, by his physician, Dr. HOGAN. He was in the incipient stage of _delirium tremens_. Had not slept for some nights. Dr. H. had administered successively opiates, chloral and bromides in full doses, without effect. On the evening of above date the patient had a bath, in which the descending galvanic current was used. As a result, he slept well that night. The baths were repeated on the two succeeding days, with like effect. As the disease developed however it became necessary to send the patient to an asylum, whence he returned cured in a short time. The effect of the baths in this case, where full doses of the most powerful hypnotics of the materia medica had failed, was remarkably illustrative of their hypnotic power.
As is well known to the profession, anæmia forms the basis of a great number of morbid conditions. Hysteria, general debility, emaciation, sterility, various nervous affections, phthisis, in short, a perversion of almost any of the various physiological functions may be the direct result of anæmia. On the other hand, anæmia may be only a symptom or sequel of some other morbid condition—but of such cases I do not now speak. I have to do here only with those cases where anæmia is the primary and etiological of a group of symptoms, and where therefore it is to this that the treatment must be mainly directed. Now let us see what this treatment is. Dr. FLINT[15] suggests the following therapeutic measures: “_first_, a nutritious alimentation, into which meat should enter largely; _second_, the use of tonics and stimulants to render the digestive functions more active; _third_, iron as a special remedy—the effect of which is often remarkable; and, _fourth_, a regimen calculated to increase the energy of the assimilative functions, consisting of exercise in the open air, recreation, etc.” This agrees mainly with the views of other writers. It may conveniently be condensed under two heads, instead of four, namely: _first_, to secure for the patient appropriate food and adopt the best means to insure its assimilation; _second_, the administration of iron. As to the ingestion of appropriate food, open air exercise, etc., patients are of course to receive the necessary directions. The remainder of the therapeutic indications, as given above, are admirably met by electric baths. As we have seen in a preceding chapter (p. 43 et seq.), they are a tonic and stimulant of the first order, and as nearly as possible a specific for the furtherance of the digestive and assimilative processes. When impregnated with iron, they constitute a treatment for anæmia which, in conjunction with the requisite diet and other hygienic measures, is inferior to no other. It will moreover be found very efficacious in counteracting secondary anæmia, and thus, by maintaining the general strength of the patient, often enable nature and appropriate treatment to cope successfully with the original disease.