of such obscure conditions
as need full knowledge of the anatomical relations and physiological
functions of the parts to be rubbed. It is a fact that I have known
country physicians who, desiring to use massage and not having a
practitioner of it within reach, have themselves trained persons to do
it, with considerable resultant success.

It is not, perhaps, putting it too strongly to say that bad massage is
better than none in those cases in which manipulation is needed. Very
little harm can result from its use even by unskilled hands, provided
that reasonable intelligence direct them.

CHAPTER VII.

ELECTRICITY.

Electricity is the second means which I have made use of for the purpose
of exercising muscles in persons at rest. It has also an additional
value, of which I shall presently speak.

In order to exercise the muscles best and with the least amount of pain
and annoyance, we make use of an induction current, with interruptions
as slow as one in every two to five seconds, a rate readily obtained in
properly-constructed batteries.[24] This plan is sure to give painless
exercise, but it is less rapid and less complete as to the quality of
the exercise caused than the movements evolved by very rapid
interruptions. These, in the hands of a clever operator who knows his
anatomy well, are therefore, on the whole, more satisfactory, but they
require some experience to manage them so as not to shock and disgust
the patient by inflicting needless pain. The poles, covered with
absorbent cotton well wetted with salt water, which may be readily
changed, so as not to use the same material more than once, are placed
on each muscle in turn, and kept about four inches apart. They are moved
fast enough to allow of the muscles being well contracted, which is
easily managed, and with sufficient speed, if the assistant be
thoroughly acquainted with the points of Ziemssen. The smaller electrode
should cover the motor-point and the larger be used upon an indifferent
area. After the legs are treated, the muscles of the belly and back and
loins are gone over systematically, and finally those of the chest and
arms. The face and neck are neglected. About forty minutes to an hour
are needed; but at first a less time is employed. The general result is
to exercise in turn all the external muscles.[25]

No such obvious and visible results are seen as we observe after
massage, but the thermal changes are much more constant and