Ellsworth American., 1877-07-05
A TRIUMPH OF MEDICAL SCIENCE

The Discorery Of a Boston Physieidh-P Par
dlysis Can be CHred-SUrgery Surpassed
in the Treatment ~ DefOrmdties- Emphd-
tic Proof that Ne'c Remedy for Nervous
Disorders Has Been Found.
Hardly any grea, revelation OF science or tri-
umph OF art has been received on its FIRST an
nouneemeni with grateful faith by the inersda-
lous majority OF men. Calico announced the
fact that the world moved aud the soiidi hed un.
belief of the world made him recant the assertion
bended knees in sAckoloth and aches Rising
from The ground after this denial Of asccriancd
truth. he i reported to have exclaimed rrR -
NUoNE-"lt docs move tor all that" His introuc-
uuu of the telescope, which has since given to
a know sc OF the stars was greeted with a sim
liar obstinate prejudice and unbehef. In England
It was announced an invention OF the E,il
one, aud
NEW FHAsE OF soEcERr.
In the realm Of medical science this same phase
OF human folly has been constantly witnesscd.-
HarEey's announcement that the blood cirruA
ted through the veins was received with a howl
OF drr-Ion scarcely less vigorous than that which
waited upon oalileo's assertion that the world
circulated through space. HAryey's patlenih
abandoned him nj the medical profession 81 thd
day gave him an almost unanimous cold shoulders
subsequently hrs house was at,acscd ~ mobc
anc number OF his cherished books destroyed.
And again when Je-uer discovered :he prevent.
I'VE virtues OF vaccIuAIot.. ts- mct'cA H"~rte. At
which he was a member forbade him TO promul-
gate The great truth on pain of expulsion from
their pale OF membership. The faculty OF Lon
don denounced him - bcasual quAok. and The
pulpit joined them, and declared poor Jcnusr
and has vaccine both 10 be diaboiical and mons
tTuu-.
20 iihas been. though in a less degree with the
more recent discoveries hy n cdical iunoy aloTs,
OF The uses Of ansr-ihctrs aud OF electricity. And
sLli, Calico sAid. The world does move for
all that" These observation. are made by Nay
= al Ia afs4s
cal discovery, our own city Of Boston and by
Boston physician, the car"fgl and uBgrtJ JudiceI
attention which II deserves.
THE LCLECrIc SCHOOL
Of medicine Is fast growing IN popular favor. Il
y founded on the principle that there IN all
schools OF thought something OF value. aud that
Truth should he recognized and its teaching adop
ted and used wherever they may be found. OF from
whatever quarter they may come. To physician
OF this broad and liberal school ui medical theory
ami practice Deloug- the homer OF having discoy-
cred an entirely new and sucCcssiul method OF
oomh4ili par.lysis. Paralysis may be termed.
oF reason % iis con stAntly Increasing Acucc
The disease o The age. II has hitherto been ciszs-
81 Among incurabIr maiadies-
CAUSES oF PARALYSIS.
Paralysis may proceed from the brain which /.
the scAt oi sensation and yolitiru. or from the
spinAl mArTos and nerves. by Shigh sen -Aiion
ani Nolluon are conveyed 10 ami from the brain
all over the body, 0r it may take eccentric forms
ui dcyt luImcnt, and effect special locAllc, IA thc
human organization. depriylng the sufferer II may
tc 81 sight or h"ariHE, or smelling. The more
frequent forms of the dI,rA-e arr those eI para.
lyEvd motion and may D. Ihas clAssibed Apo.
pieNy OF the brain con c-tiou or soi,vniug vi Ihe
spinal marrO~ and partial paralysis, when from
tue pressure arisiug from morbid grow IN tu.
NOR, or from rnecAAnica! injury. or ofteu irOm
some unkruWn cause. the paris supplied by a
particular part are pArAlyzcd.
DISEASES or rnE BRAIS
AMI spinsl marrow. undoubtedly produce the ma
lorIty OF all pAraiyuc attacks. Taking tuls fact
in connection with another tact equally certain.
namely, that thi. fast gong age imposes an ex-
ces-Ye strain on oar brAinaI and spinal strength
and .v have an explanation OF the yearly increase
In the number oil victims OF the disease ANY
scientific discovery, therefore which shall giyeu.
an enicieni remedy Tor this too eonmon mAlady OF
modern days, worthy to take rank among the
great be eiActIons which the researches OF great
minds have from time to time conferred upon the
race. The method TO which We have alluded :
supplying lust such
AZ EffECIUAL ASrIDOTE
for paralysis As Is admitted 10 be a great medical
necessity OF the period Is that In dAly use al the
Medical Home ahd Retreat, established by Dr.
George ". Rhodes, Il Boston physician OF high
standing and reputation. on the corner OF Wal
than street and shavmut syenue-No. -, on the
last named ihoroughiare. His discovery was the
Te-ult OF a severe Acsident which happened to
himself and the effects Of which maze him 4
parAlytic sufferer oI what seemed. for a time, 10
be a hopelessIy incurable type.
l'T. hhOIc- was thrown from MS carriage and
sustain Cd complicated injuries which deled all
medical sklll, and lett him, as he then believed.
permanently maimed and paraIyzed
Thrown back upon his own resources, he began
SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS.
lie had already received thorough medical ed
uca;ion and training. and had complete knowl-
edge OF chemistry. IL occurred to him that posi-.
bly there powers IN the electric nnid used
as an applicant OF chemical properties. not vet
dreamed OF in the philosophy OF metiiciae. Adopt
ing the electric principle therefore, OF searching
for truth wherever il might be found he proceed
ed with a series ofexperlments upon his own per
sou. When he resolved upon these experiments
enc OF his legs was SO badly twisted that IN 1T
ting down he was compelled TO use 1t as asushion.
drawing up the whole of the leg, hip and tn chs
into an unnatural and constrained position, sey.
eral inches above the ground. The paralysis wa
complete that these limbs had all withered aad
shrunken. There seemed, indeed, little hope that
any spark of vitality remained in them. Never
theless, DR.. Rhodes persisienty followed his idea.
He hrst compounded powerful chemical prepar-
alton, having for its object the stimulation oi the
torpid and apparently dead nerves OF the affected
parts and then invoked tie aid of the electric bat
tery to apply it. At first success seemed doubt
iu. but after number of only partially satisfac-
tory attempts TO lind the seat of the malady, the
difficulty surmounied. the snrunken limbs
began TO regain the IT normal size, the sleeping
nerves were aroused TO action again, the wasted
muscles grew. flesh covered the neshless bone.
and Dr. Rhodes found himself perfect man in
every respect sound in every limb, healthy, ro-
bust and vigorous. He has for several years past
given 10 sufferers from paralysis the benefit OF
this happy experience, and has extended this
method of treatment, with equally gratifying sue
cess. to other forms of brainal and spinal diseas-
es-such as epilepsy, apoplexy commissions, hy-
sierra melancholia, and the like. His cures
nov numbered BY scores and there genuineness
attested by the best of ties tmony. There is moth
ing of quackcry about his methods, a call at
THE HOME AND RETREAT
will demonstrate to any who may desire to secure
for themselves their friends the advantages of
such a resort. They will find a handsome man
sion in q pleasant secluded and fashionable part
of the city, organized in the most efficient
and condue Ted SO as to secure all the benefits o "a
hospital, and al the same time retain all the char
acteFistics Of home So large a number oil ap-
plicants have sought admission to this excellent
institution during the past year that DIR Rhodes Is
now engaged IN endeavoriDg 10 secure a larger
establishment for their accommodation. Having
personally examined the institution and observed
the details OF its internal economy, we would
recommend 1t as one of the be resorts open to
sufferers from any OF the maladies above emu.
mel ated ly5l
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