A Newly Discovered System of Electrical Medication

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

23813

Title

A Newly Discovered System of Electrical Medication

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Daniel Clark presents a 1875 guide to therapeutic electricity, arguing for a polarized system that treats diseases by balancing the body's electro-vital forces. This handbook offers practical prescriptions for ailments ranging from headaches to cancer, challenging conventional medical practices with a scientifically grounded, patient-friendly approach.

Summary up to 500 words

In 'A Newly Discovered System of Electrical Medication,' Daniel Clark presents a therapeutic method utilizing Dr. Jerome Kidder's electro-magnetic machine to cure a wide array of diseases. Clark argues that electricity is a versatile remedy often misunderstood by the medical profession, which frequently misapplies poles, thereby worsening conditions like inflammation or paralysis. He introduces the concept of 'polarization,' explaining that the human body acts as a magnet with positive and negative states. Diseases are categorized as 'positive' (hypersthenic, like inflammation) or 'negative' (azoödynamic, like paralysis). Clark's core principle is 'polar antagonism': treating a positive disease with a positive pole to repel excess energy, and a negative disease with a negative pole to attract deficient energy. He emphasizes the use of unequal-length cords to manipulate the circuit's central point, ensuring the current affects the patient uniformly without causing harm. The text provides specific protocols for conditions including common colds, deafness, consumption, neuralgia, and cancers, often using the 'inward' (positive) or 'outward' (negative) current. Clark asserts that while medicines are convenient, electricity can cure dangerous or chronic cases where drugs fail, provided it is administered with scientific precision rather than empirical guesswork. He concludes that electricity, when used correctly, is a powerful, agreeable, and reliable agent for healing. Clark details the mechanical effects of each pole: the forward end (negative) relaxes and expands, while the rear end (positive) contracts and strengthens. He distinguishes between relaxed conditions, which are electrically positive and require the positive pole, and atrophied conditions, which are negative and require the negative pole. Furthermore, he advocates for the 'long cord' technique to ensure all parts of the patient are affected alike, preventing the aggravation of inflammation or the reduction of strength in healthy limbs. The work serves as a handbook for practitioners, offering detailed prescriptions for ailments ranging from rheumatism and paralysis to cancers and suspended animation, asserting that electricity, when applied with an understanding of its laws, can achieve cures where other methods fail.

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Categories

• Science