St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-15
NEURALGIA CURE.
The Migratory Principle Applied
to the Head by Migratory Hell.

The Migratory Principle Applied
to the Head by Migratory Hell
met
Scientific American.
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 one that has
been employed for some time at the
saltpetriere by Prof. Charcot. 1t is the
treatment by mechanical vibrations.
There is a serious disease OF the
nervous system, characterized by an i'll
cessant trembling of the hands, stoop-
ng attitude ana an odd gait that makes
it seem as if the invalid was going to
preciptate himself headforemost. 1t is
the trembling palsy, also called Parkin-
sons disease, sort of painful nervous
disorder that deprves the unfortunate
who is afflicted With it of rest and sleep.
Mr.. Charcot. long time ago learned
from some invalidS who were troubled
with this Intirmith that they derived
decided relief from long rides Oh rail-
road or in carriage. The more the
vibrations caused in the compartments
by the train running at full speed. and
the more the carriage was jolted over
an uneven payment the more the relief
experienced. At the end of a
days journey they felt better
and experienced an ineXpresSible
comfort. One of them conceived the
idea OF having himself wheeled about
for hours IN one of those heavy carts
used for carrying paving stones. Con-
trary to the experience of all travellers.
those afflicted with trembling palsy felt
freSher and more active OH aIightlng
from the cars. The longer the trip, and
the worse the line, the more durable was
their Improvement.
Such testimony, coming from various
sources was not lost. 1t was for Mr..
Charcot. the starting point of most
curious therapeutical application. Mi.
Charcot had an arm chair constructed
to which to-andfro motion was given
by means of an electrical WindlaSS.
Long before the invention of the vi
brating arm chair, Dr.. NigourouX
conceived the idea of submitting hys-
tprical patients TO the vibrations OF q
huge tuning fork, In~thiS way he cured
an@sthesianS and muscular stiff joints.
Other physicians, Boudet, of Paris, and
Mortimer, of Granville, applied vibrat-
ing rods to the treatment of neuralgia
facial neuralgia in particuiar)and head
aches.
Granville devised a small electric
hammer, analogous 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 short period, the pain
ceased.
The method was some time ago singu-
larry improved by DR.. ellis de la lou
rette, pupil of Mr.. Charcot. He had
an apparatus constructed for the treat
ment Of megrimS and nervous head
aches. 1t was the vibrating helmet.
Imagine helmet of the model that of
Old times and very analogous asto struct-
ure to the conformation of hatters.
1t is, in fact, formed of steel plates
that permit of the fitting Of the head
perfectly. Upon this helmet, in lieu Ut
crest, there is small alternating cur
rent motor of peculiar construction that
makes about 600 revolutions per minute.
At every revolution uniform Vlbra-
ton is prOpagated to the metallic plates
and is transmitted to the Uranium that
they embrace. The cranlal walls thus
Vihrate in their ensemble. and the en-
tire cerebral apparatus. The sensation
is not disagreeable. The number and
intensity of the vibrations, moreover,
may be varied according to the tOler-
ance of the subject. In a few minutes
a sort of general lassitude is expert
enced, with a tendency to sleep.
The vibrating helmet has already been
applied to large number of neuras-
thenic invalidS, the majority of whom
have experienced good results from it.
The process succeeds also against hemi-
cranla, and as this is quite a common
affection for which no surely efficaCiOus
remedy is known, the helmlt will, in a
short time, be seen to come into vogue.