The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-09

A large number of members Of the regu-
lar medical faculty Of this State and other
States were present at the Convention Of the
American Electro Therapeutical Associa-
ton held here through last week. Among
them were men OF high rank in the profes-
sion and OF high repute as practitioners. A
mere reference to the list of names
OF those who read papers, or took
part in the debates, or told the re-
suits OF their experiments and experience,
gives all the evidence that can he needed OF
their standing in the scientific world. It
might look invidious for us to speak of in
dividual members whose qualifications are
recognized by their professional brethren {;
but we may say that in the election Of DR..
WILLIAM l.. JACKSON Of Boston as Presi-
dent, the Association commanded large
measure Of respect. The Convention was
attended by members OF the Association who
had come from many OF the cities and States
Of the Union.
The object OF the Association is to seek to
determine to what extent and in what ways
the electric potencies can be made service
able in medical practice, il, indeed, they may
thus be made serviceable under the recog-
nized laws Of science. Its members are in
quirers; they are experimenters; they are
seekers for knowledge upon subject which
is but very imperfectly understood, and with
which many charlatans and mountebanks
have played npon popular credulity, to their
own gain. let u.s." said the President of
the Association in his opening address, "let
us strive to discover the laws OF the action
Of the electric current upon the
human body under varying circum-
stances" That this purpose predominated
among the members Of the Association who
met here in Convention last week was made
evident by the character Of the papers that
were read and discussed. They were mainly
of suggestive nature; they were often the
rehearsal Of the outcome of practical tests;
many of them were as satisfactory as
are the papers ordinarily read on medi-
cal themes; very few OF them were
of the cocksure or bumptious kind. 1t
may be said In the large, that a reasonable
and scientific spirit pervaded the Electro
Therapeutical Convention. Its members
sought light from the recognized masters
Of electrical science; they even sought
1t, and obtained Ii, from Mr. NIKoLA TESLA,
an electrician of much reputc.
We give no judgment upon the value Of
any Of the electro-therapeutical theories
that were propounded at the Convention.
II there be discoverable science OF electro
therapeutics, we desire, as the whole medi-
cal faculty must desire, that it shall be dis
covered. Researches toward the discovery
OF it are carried en-, at this time, by
the scientific men of all tho coun-
tries OF the world. In nearly the whole
of the medical colleges in the United
States, attention is given to the subject,
and in at least twenty-seven of them special
electric clinics for practical service have
been established.
We are willing TO believe a good deal
about electricity. We shall believe only
what is proved about IL. II it be useful as
a curative agency in the case OF many of the
that affiict mankind, we shall be
very happy to know the fact.