Gardnerville record. (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1898-1902, 1898-08-09
MEDICAL ELECTRICITY
Why it is not commonly used.


Electricity has tried todo almost every
thing, and at the present time do S the
work for The kitchen girl, as well as for
the manufactures and railroad companies.
thanks to the continued inventions of
our Scientists in medicine, it plays a very
important part, it renders assistance in
every department III many ways, it accomp-
fishes better results and often cures where
medical and surgical means have failed,
while the public insist on having electrici-
| ty appl led for the relief OF their ailments:
the profession often neglect To do so be-
cause they are afraid to use il or cannot
comprehend its utility.
They do not seem to realize the fact,
that in the hands of an expert who under
stands the construction OF bis machine
the use Of the poles and different currents,
has been ma le to allay piil and il fla a
nation in almost every part Of the bedy,
to cure paralysis OF every description, to
do away with structures of all sorts, to re-
move tnmors Of certain class, aud 10
cure a host OF special diseases that it
would take too long 10 enumorate.
Now why are not these facts moro gen
orally known and admitted among medi-
cal men, why are electrotherapeutics
looked upon with suspicion by many Of
the general practitioners and regarded as
inefficient, tho Reasons are ,ns'i,s ami OBJ
yious. but they can all be collected IN a
nut shell and it is this: general ignorance
OF the methods Of the application Of cleo
tricity as theapsniic agent. first with
the majority oI doctors there Is want Of
preliminary .ucation in physics, chem
istry and ma.l m lties, foT one must have
such knowle - "a order TO understand
the construc .io4 q ,he simplest electrical
machine, second s3eh knowledge is not
required on lierins npon course ms 2
student of leiicins, third, there Is the
utmost neglect among Medical Colleges
as to the correct and thorough teaching
of electro-ttls rapeut.cj, there ere very few
Medical Colleges in the country where
there il a chair for electro therapeu ics
and where a course does exist, few lect-
ares only are giyen to third fourth year
students fourth. the ordinary doctor Of
the present times does not understand
electricity or cletro therapeutics and can
no. manage his instruments. fifth. the
enthusiast in electricity without the ncces
sary knowledge must fail and is even
dangerous and then condemns slecificiiy
instead OF himself, sixth. untold harm IS
done TO the cause by the pretonee Of
eharlatans who without knowledge adver
iise aud make their harvest through the
everindulgent patient who Has faith and
il afterwards disappointed.
Seventh, The teaching IN surgery that
the knife omsst be nsel for everything
end the zeal q the youns man TO cut
Eighth, Ths mercenez. tendencies of
some Surgeon who prefes 70 make $500.
for cutting operation s IN so. for an
electrolytie application
Ninth, The pretcnse Of some doctors
who call their treatment eleelrolysis
when in reality they are using the knife.
Tenth, And last but not least, come
faulty instruments aud the sins of the
manufacturer.
The intelligent use of The eleetre-thera-
pen les is just us much needed and wan
ted by the patient as is the electric cur
rent for oar household use and public
highways and it is only question of time
when it will be premptorily demanded.
l.. I. franklin, NJ. D. NJ. T..