positive pole. But, in such cases, although the general disease
of the system be chronic and negative, these sore and severely painful
points have, for the time, risen in their electro-vital condition, and
so become acute and positive. But when chronic rheumatism is attended
with only a _dull_ pain, and that chiefly under exercise of the parts,
and with little or no increase of pain under an application of the
negative pole of the A D current, medium strength, and with no swelling,
then the pain, the stiffness and the lameness are all marks of the
negative state, and the parts must be treated with the negative pole of
the A D current, _strongly_ at first, but diminishing in force, from
time to time, as the patient becomes relieved.

_Alkaline_ affections--those causing excessive alkaline secretions--are
electrically positive. _Acid_ or _acidulous_ states are negative.

HEALING.

For healing wounds, burns, ulcers, irritation of mucous membranes, and
cutaneous eruptions, the A D current is by far the best. _Recent_
wounds, contusions and burns are electrically positive. _Old_ ulcers and
irritations are generally negative.

DIAGNOSIS.

To make a correct diagnosis, it is needful to bear in mind the following
general principles:

1. Where the organism is in health, the momentary application to the
patient of the negative pole of the double Faradaic current B D--the
best for diagnostic use--in good medium strength,[D] will be directly
felt, yet will cause no pain. Whatever _muscular contractions_ may be
produced for the time, they are harmless, and need not be noticed.
Wherever the electro-vital fluid is in _excess_, producing
hypersthenia--too much vital action--the part is morbidly _positive_;
and, excepting sometimes in the stomach and bowels, the B D current, of
medium force, directed to that part under the negative pole, will
produce _sharp pain_. But where a current of full medium strength can
not be felt under the negative pole, there is a morbidly negative
state--a deficiency of vital action--a condition of at least partial
paralysis--anaesthesia.

2. In a state of health, different persons will have different degrees
of sensibility to the electric current, depending on their varied
nervous susceptibility. Again, the same person will be much less
sensitive to the current when directed to the spine, particularly the
lower part of it, and to the stomach, than when directed to most other
parts. Also, where b