LIX. An account of the effects of electricity in paralytic cases. In a letter to John Pringle, M. D. F. R. S. from Ben�jamin Franklin, Esq; F. R. S [ 481 ] LIX. A n Account o f the o f city in paralytic Ca. In a L e tte r to John Pringle, M . D . F. R . S. fr o m Ben­ jamin Franklin, E fq\ F. . S. S I R , Read Jan. 12, r p H E following is what I can at pre- 1758 fent recoiled:, relating to the ef- feds of eledricity in paralytic cafes, which have fallen under my obfervation. Some years fince, when the news-papers made mention o f great cures performed in Italy or Ger­ many, by means of eledricity, a number of para­ lytics were brought to me from different parts o f Penfylvania, and the neighbouring provinces, to be eledrifed; which I did for them at their requefl. M y method was, to place the patient firfl in a chair, on an eledric flool, and draw a number o f large flrong fparks from all parts of the affeded limb or fide. T hen I fully charged two fix-gallon glafs jars, each o f which had about three fquare feet of furface coated; and I fent the united fhock of thefe thro’ the affeded limb or lim b s; repeating the flroke commonly three times each day. T h e firfl thing obferved was an immediate greater fenfible warmth in the lame limbs, that had received the flroke, than in the o th ers: and the next morning the patients ufually related, that they had in the night felt a pricking fenfation in the flefh of the paralytic lim b s; and would fome- times fhew a number of fmall red fpots, which they V o l , 50. Q q q fup- D ow nl oa de d fr om h tt ps :/ /r oy al so ci et yp ub li sh in g. or g/ o n 05 A pr il 2 02 1 [ 4 8 2 ] luppofed were occafioned by thofe prickings. T he limbs too were found more capable of voluntary motion, and feemed to receive ftrength. A man, for inftance, who could not the firft day lift the lame hand from off his knee, would the next day raife it four or five inches, the third day h ig h er; and on the fifth day was able, but with a feeble languid motion, to take off his hat. Thefe appearances gave great fpirits to the patients, and made them hope a perfed cu re; but I do not remember, that I ever faw any amendment after the fifth d a y : which the patients perceiving, and finding the fhocks pretty fevere, they became difcouraged, went home, and in a fliort time relapfed ; fo that I never knew any advantage from eledricity in palfies, that was per­ manent. And how far the apparent temporary ad­ vantage might arife from the exercife in the patients journey,^ and coming daily to my houfe, or from the fpirits given by the hope of fuccefs, enabling them to exert more ftrength in moving their limbs, I will not pretend to fay. Perhaps fome permanent advantage might have been obtained, if the eledric fhocks had been ac­ companied with proper medicine and regimen, un­ der the diredion of a fkilful phyfician. It may be, too, that a few great ffrokes, as given in my me­ thod, may not be fo proper as many fmall ones; fince, by the account from Scotland o f a cafe, in which two hundred fhocks from a phial were given daily, it feems, that a perfed cure has been made. As to any uncommon ftrength fuppofed to be in the machine ufed in that cafe, I imagine it could have no fhare in the effed produced 5 fince the ftrength of D ow nl oa de d fr om h tt ps :/ /r oy al so ci et yp ub li sh in g. or g/ o n 05 A pr il 2 02 1 [ 4*3 ] o f the fhock from charged glafs is in proportion to the quantity o f furface o f the glafs coated ; fo that my ihocks from thofe large jars muft have been much greater than any, that could be received from a phial held in the hand. I am, with great refped, S I R, London, Your mod: obedient Servant, Dec. 21, 1757. R. Franklin.