The Effect of Certain Baths and Forms of Electricity on the Blood, Blood Pressure, and Metabolism ;

Abstract

THE following investigation was undertaken to ascertain the effect of certain baths and electrical procedures in use at Harrogate on the blood, on the blood pressure, and on metabolism as indicated by variations in the urinary constituents. It was primarily intended to investigate these points with reference to the more recently introduced electr:cal " baths but it was thought that the usefulness of the research might be enhanced by extending it to include some of the other baths which have been long in use with the object of determining whether the physiological results obtained would furnish a rational basis for their therapeutic application. The subjects of the experiments were the authors themselves and the observations extended over 40 days. Their health was normal throughout ; the results must therefore be regarded as purely physiological. Points examined.-These consisted of the determination of the total daily excretion of urea, uric acid, sulphates, phosphates, chlorides, and acidity, the estimation of the hemoglobin and red corpuscles, the enumeration of the leucocytes, and the measurement of variations in the blood pressure. Methods adopted.-For the determination of urea the hypobromite method was adopted, Gerard's instrument being chosen. Uric acid was estimated by the Gowland-Hopkins' process ; sulphates by the barium chloride method ; phos-I phates by titration with uranium acetate ; chlorides by Allen's modification of Mohr's method for the first three