miplegia, and many others. They also treated
corns and chilblains.

After an investigation into the disease, they cast questioning glances
at each other to determine what passes to use, whether the currents
should be large or small, ascending or descending, longitudinal,
transversal, bidigital, tridigital, or even quindigital.

When the one had had too much of it, the other replaced him. Then, when
they had come back to their own house, they noted down their observation
in their diary of treatment.

Their suave manners captivated everyone. However, Bouvard was liked
better, and his reputation spread as far as Falaise, where he had cured
La Barbee, the daughter of Pere Barbee, a retired captain of long
standing.

She had felt something like a nail in the back of her head, spoke in a
hoarse voice, often remained several days without eating, and then
would devour plaster or coal. Her nervous crises, beginning with sobs,
ended in floods of tears; and every kind of remedy, from diet-drinks to
moxas, had been employed, so that, through sheer weariness, she accepted
Bouvard's offer to cure her.

When he had dismissed the servant-maid and bolted the door, he began
rubbing her abdomen, while leaning over the seat of the ovaries. A sense
of relief manifested itself by sighs and yawns. He placed his finger
between her eyebrows and the top of her nose: all at once she became
inert. If one lifted her arms, they fell down again. Her head remained
in whatever attitude he wished, and her lids, half closed, vibrating
with a spasmodic movement, allowed her eyeballs to be seen rolling
slowly about; they riveted themselves on the corners convulsively.

Bouvard asked her if she were in pain. She replied that she was not.
Then he inquired what she felt now. She indicated the inside of her
body.

"What do you see there?"

"A worm."

"What is necessary in order to kill it?"

She wrinkled her brow. "I am looking for--I am not able! I am not able!"

At the second sitting she prescribed for herself nettle-broth; at the
third, catnip. The crises became mitigated, then disappeared. It was
truly a miracle. The nasal addigitation did not succeed with the others,
and, in order to bring on somnambulism, they projected the construction
of a mesmeric tub. Pecuchet already had even collected the filings and
cleaned a score of bottles, when a scruple made him hesitate.

Amongst the patients there would be persons of the other sex.

"And wh