The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-04-08

Ann ArbOr, Mich, March 5.-William
J.. Herdman, NJ. D., professor Of elee-
tro-therapeutics, mental disorders and
diseases Of the nervous system at the
University Of Michigan, is just COM
pleting a remarkable series Of expert
ments. undertaken to determine wheth-
er electricity can be so applied as to
hasten the development of young and
growing animals. The experiments
were begun two years ago and the
subjects thereof have included human
beings, as well as lower forms of ami
ma life. The results, Professor Herd
man a show c~onclCeiVely that ami
NAL growth may be accelerated greatly
by the mystic current.
Whenever q current Of electricity
~traverseS an animal body" says Pro-
feesor HerGman, the magnetic field
resulting from the current and sur
rounding it's path must disturb in some
the molecular (physicaD and
atomic (chemicaD activities that are
going on in the tissues and fluids
through which the current of electri-
city passes. Almost everything now
known about electro-magnetism seems
to imply that a magnetic field, whether
produced by a permanent magnet or by
a current, reacts in some manner upon
all kinds of matter within the field,
n In such a manner as to rotate in
some degree every molecule, so as to
make it assume a different position
from what it would assume if not thus
acted upon. We have found hat the
most n~oticeably physiological response
TO an electric current obtained from
living animals is that resulting from
sudden and wide differences in the in
tensity OF the current. Having learned
Th1Cs mo hnrrZ -lazAI A. 49, @-L
3ects of our experiments in a magnetic
field occasioned by an alternating cur
rent. This produces no chemical
changes in the body, but merely ac-
eentuates normal chemical action"
Prof. Herdman's Solenoid.
Professor Herdman has used a sole
mold Or hollow magnet about three
feet in diameter. 1t is wound with No.
10 underwriters wire. A current
strength Of five amperes is employed
and the dynamo produces 24S ~alterGa-
tons a second, so that whatever &C.
cupieS the space inclosed by the sole
mold is subjected 10 extremely rapid
reyersals Of magnetic stress.
The experiments on human beings"
says Professor Herdman, were made
with a view Of determining the infiu-
ence OF his magnetic field on the meta
bolism of tissue as determined by the
quantity Of waste matter" Metabolism
is the technical term for "tha act or
process by which, on the one hand,
the dead food is built up into living
matter, and by which, on the other,
the living matter is broken down into
simpler products within a cell or organ
ism"
Three subjects were chosen says
h professor. 1.-TWO of them were
healthy young men, students of medi-
cine, and the other a man of 50, VIII
for " years had been suffering from
shaking paralysis, but who, aside from
this nervous affection, was in fair
health. The diet was regulated in
amount and variety for a week before
subjecting them 20 the magnetic ac-
ton in each case, and an estimate Of
the waste was made daily. Then for a
weeks time, without change of diet or
manner Of living in any other respect.
Of the three SUBJECTS was placed
in the SOlenOid, comfortably out
stretched on a platform, and kept there
Tor " hours each day. their bodies
pervaded by an alternating current of
the average strength above mentioned
In each case there was q daily in
crease Of about ten per cent in the
amount Of waste eliminated during the
time the subject was in the magnetic
field. No other effects could be detect
by this method of observation. There
was no apparent change in the depth
or frequency Of respiration, nor I'm the
strength or frequency of the pulse or
arterial tension; though, had more deli
cateSor * methods of testing for
such changes than the unaided eye and