Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-29
ELECTRIcITY CURES NEURALGIA.
The Migratory Principle Applied 20 the
Head by an Electrical Helrnet.

From the scicn'ilc American.
Among all the methods. more or less ODD In
appearance. applied to the treatment 81 ner.
yous diseases. there are few more original than
the one that has been employed for some tims
at the Salpeiriere BY Prof. Charcot; 10 10 the
treatment by mechanical vibrations.
There is = serious disease Of the nervous svs-
ten, characterized by an incesssnt trembling os
the hands, stopping attitude and an odd gait
that makes IL seem as IL the Invalid ws going
TO precipitate himself head foremost II 10 the
trembling palsy. also called Parkinsons dis
ease, q sort Of painful nervous disorder that de-
prives the unfOr tunate who lie afflicted with 10
Of rest and sleep. Mr.. Charcot q long time aro
learned from some invalids who were troubled
with this inhrmity that they derived decided
relief from long rides a railroad or In q car
riage. The more the vibrations caused In the
compartments by the train running st fun
speed and the more the carthage vas jolted
/ over an uneven pavement the more the reliaS
experienced. At the end Of days Journey
they feit better and experienced an inexpres-
sible comfort One Of them conceived the ides
of having himself wheeled about for hours in
one Of those heavy carts used for CARVING
paving stones. Contrary TO the experience Of Ill
travellers, those afflicted with trembling palsy
| felt fresher and more active on nlishtinE from
the cars. The longer the trip lasted, and the
worse the line, the more durable was their inn
provement.
Such testimony coming from various sourcss.
was not lost. IL was for Mr. Charcot the starr.
ing point Of most curious therspeutical appli-
cation. Mr.. Charcot had an arm chair ooos
| strncted TO which a TO and fro motion IVES givsa
by means Of an electrical windlass. Long before
me invention oil the vibrating armchair Dr.
Nigouroux conceived the idea Of submittina
hysterical patients 10 the vibrations OF huge
tuning fork. In this way be cured an esthesaas
and muscular stiff joints. Other physicia.A
Boudet Of Paris and Mortimer Of Gran vilIs ar
Piled vibrating rods to the treatment of nsos
ralgiAs (facial neuralgia in particularly and hssd-
| aches. Granville devised small electric ham
mer. analogous 10 the hammer Of electric bsllA
and that was applied To the painful point
Under the influence OF the shock, repsass4
hundreds Of time within short psriod, ths psia
ceased.
The method was some time ago sinrulr1v
improved by DIR. ellis de Ia Tourette, 8 pupn
Of Mr.. Chsrcot He had an apparlsus con.
/ structed for the treatment OF megrims end
nervous headaches; it was the vibrating heis
met; Imagine helmet Of the model Of thst
OF old times, and very analogous, - 70 struc.
ture, to the conformstor Of hatters. II d, IN
fact, formed OF steel plates that permit Of itG
hitting the head perfectly. Upon tins helmet
| in lieu of crest, there is Q small alternating
current motor OF peculiar Construction thsS
makes about 500 revolutions per min uts. 40
every revolution q uniform vibration In prcps-
gated 20 the metallic plates and u transmitSsA
to the Uranium that they embrace. The crauial
walls thus yibrate In their ensemble and the
vibrations are naturally transmitted 70 The
entire cerebral apparatus. The sensation 10
not disagreeable. The number and insenaty
OF the vibrations, moreover, may be varied 90.
cording to the tolerance Of the subject. In q
few minutes a sort Of general lassituds n 81.
perienced, with tendency 10 sleep.
The vibrating helmet has already been ap.
piled 10 q large number Of neurasthenic fn-
valids, the majority Of whom have erperienced
good results from it, The process succeeds
also against hermicrania and as this o. quite .
common affection for which no surely effics.
cious remedy il known. the helmet viii, In o
short time, be seen TO come into vogue