Evening journal., 1892-11-19
ELecTRclTY CURES INeuRAloIA.

ELCC .fdCt lfT ADfEO 4NEUl1hLJla.
The yibratory Principle Applied TO the
Head by m Electrical Helmet
Among all the methods more or less
odd in appearance applied to the treat
ment Of nervous diseases, there are few
more original than the enc that has been
employed for some time at the Salpe-
triere by Professor Charcot. 1t is the
treatment by mechanical vibrations.
There is n serious disease of the nerv-
Gus system, characterized by an inces-
SAINT trembling Of the hands, STOPPING
attitude and an odd gait, that makes it
seem as if the invalid was going to pre-
cipitate himself head foremost 1t is
the trembling palsy, also called Parkin-
sons disease, a sort Of painful nervous
disorder that, ,deprives the unfortunate
WHO is afflicted with it Of rest and sleep.
Mr.. Charcot a long time ago learned
from some invahds who were troubled
with this infrmity that they derived de-
cided relief from long rides on n railroad
or in "A carriage The more the vibra-
tions caused in the compartments by the
train running at full speed, and themore
the carriage was jolted over an uneven
pavement, the more the relief expert
enced. At the end Of days journey
they felt better and experienced an mex
pressible comfort. One of them con-
ceived the idea Of having himself
wheeled about for hours in one Of those
heavy carts used for carrying paving
stones. Contrary to the experience Of
all travellers, those afflicted wish trem-
bling palsy felt fresher and more active
on alighting from the cars. The longer
the trip lasted, and the worse the line,
themore durable was thoir Improvement.
Such Testimony, coming from various
sources, was not lost. It was for Mr..
Charcot the starting point Of a most
curious therapeutical application. Mr..
Charcot had an armchair constructed,
to which a TO and fro motion was given
by means of an electrical windass.
Long before the invention OF the vibrat-
ing armchair DR.. Vigouroux conceived
theidea of submitting hysterical patients
to the vibration of huge tuning fork
In this way he cured anRsthesias and
muscular stiff joints. Other physicians
Boudet, Of Paris, and Mortimer. Of
Granville, applied vibrating rods to the
treatment of neuralgias facial neuralgia
in particular) and headaches. Granville
devised q small electric hammer, anal
ogous to the hammer Of electric bells,
and that was applied to the painful
point. Under the influence of the shock,
repeated hundreds of times within n
short period, the pain ceased.
The method was some time ago singu-
larly improved by DR.. Gillis de Ia Tour
cite, a pupil of Mr.. Charcot. He had an
apparatus constructed for the treatment
of megrims and nervous headaches; is
was the vibrating helmet. Imagine Il
helmet of the model of that of old times.
and very analogous. as to structure. to
the conformator of hatters. It is in
fact formed Of steel plates that permit
Of its fitting the head perfectly. Upon
this helmet, in lieu of crest, there is a
small alternating current motor of pc
culiar construction that makes about
GOO revolutions per misuto At every
revolution uniform ,oa is propa.
gated to the metallic rs. Sc f~ans-
mitted to the Uranium .y embrace.
The cranial walls thu ate in their
ensemble, and the vibrations cre natur-
ally transmitted to tho entire cerebral
apparatus. The sensation is not dis
agreeable. The number and intensity
of tho vibrations, moreover, may be
varied according to the tolerance of the
subject In few minutes a sort Of gen
oral lassitude is experienced, with a
tendencysto sleep.
The vibrating helmet has already been
applied to a large number Of neuras-
thenic invalids, the majority of whom
have experienced good results from ,it
Tho process succeeds also against helhi
crania, and as this is quite a common
affection, for whichno surely eficaciou.
remedy is known, the helmet will in a
short time be seen to come into vogue
Nature.