An essay on the history of electrotherapy and diagnosis; . Sir Humphry Davy. of (what would historically have been more correct) vol-taisation. In view of the comparatively frequent occurrence of vesicalcalculus, and the difficulties of operation in pre-anaestheticand pre-antiseptic days, it is not surprising that electricaltreatment by the voltaic pile was early suggested. The firstsuggestions seem to have been those of Bouvier de Mortier in1801, of Morgiardini and Lando in 1803, and of Gruithuisen HISTORY OF ELECTROTHERAPY 41 in 1815. In 1823, Prevost and Dumas performed experi-ments upon hu
An essay on the history of electrotherapy and diagnosis; . Sir Humphry Davy. of (what would historically have been more correct) vol-taisation. In view of the comparatively frequent occurrence of vesicalcalculus, and the difficulties of operation in pre-anaestheticand pre-antiseptic days, it is not surprising that electricaltreatment by the voltaic pile was early suggested. The firstsuggestions seem to have been those of Bouvier de Mortier in1801, of Morgiardini and Lando in 1803, and of Gruithuisen HISTORY OF ELECTROTHERAPY 41 in 1815. In 1823, Prevost and Dumas performed experi-ments upon human calculi placed in water, and afterwardsupon similar bodies introduced into the bladder of a livingbitch. In the latter case a fusible calculus was introducedby means of a sound, and the electrodes were so adjusted thatthey touched it on opposite sides. Water was injected into. Dumas. the bladder and the current from a voltaic pile of 120 pairsallowed to pass for an hour. At the end of that time the stonewas withdrawn and showed signs of disintegration. Thisprocedure was repeated for an hour morning and evening forsix days, and at the end of that time the calculus was so friablethat the operation could not be repeated. A few days after-wards the animal was killed, the bladder examined and foundnot to have been injured by the operation. Dr. Althaus, inrecording the experiment, queries there having been no injuryto the bladder, and remarks that No human being could 42 AN ESSAY ON THE possibly undergo what this poor bitch underwent withoutbeing killed by the inflammation which must necessarilyfollow such a proceeding. Subsequent experiments on the solution of calculi in vitrowere made by Bonnet, of Lyons, in 1835. Instead ofemploying water he immersed the stone in a solution ofpotassium nitrate, the idea being that the alkali liberated bythe electrolysis of the
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