Wesley, founder of Methodist Church pioneered electro-medicine!

[Guest guest]

I'm posting this as an interesting corroboration. Note the cases of

both tooth infections and sore throats! We have seen the exact same

thing. Wesley is only remembered as a preacher, founder of the

Methodist Church. But he was much more. He actually started what we

are now doing today. He would be extremely proud of our efforts!!!

bG-

Here's some of his case studies as appeared in his book on electro-

medicine:

Anne Heathcot...was seized, in May last, with what is commonly called

an " Ague in the Head, having a violent Pain in her Head, Face, and

Teeth. After trying abundance of Remedies, to no purpose, she was, in

August, electrified thro' the Head. Immediately the Pain fix'd in her

Teeth. She was electrified four Times more, and has felt nothing of

it since.

, a Plaisterer,...fell from a Scaffold on Thursday, Feb.

15 last. He was grievously bruised, both outwardly and inwardly, and

lay in violent pain utterly helpless, till Saturday in the Afternoon,

when he was brought (carried) by two Men to be electrified. After a

few Minutes he walk'd home alone, and on Monday went to work.33

A young Lady had been affected with Fits near seven Years, which

seized her without any Warning, and threw her flat on her Face, quite

insensible. These frequently returned twice in a Day. This was

attended with almost continual Coldness in her Feet. Her Stomach also

was much affected. She stood upon a Wire coming from the Coat of the

Phial, and to complete the Circuit, another Wire was laid upon her

Head, by which means the Fire was conveyed to that Part. By this

Means both the Fits and Coldness were gradually removed, and a

complete Cure effected.

E- T- taking cold, was seized with a sore Throat, which grew worse

and worse for six Days. She then could not swallow even a Bit of

Bread soaked in Tea. The same Morning she was electrified, so as to

direct the Shock in a right Line thro' the Part affected. By the Time

she got home she could eat any Thing. Two shocks more made a perfect

Cure.35

Guilford, aged 37,...was for upwards of seven Years so

afflicted with Rheumatism in her right Side, that the Knee and the

Ankle were wasted exceedingly. January 2d last she was electrified,

and perfectly cured in one Ray. But it threw her into a profuse

Sweat, particularly from those Parts which had been most affected.36

A person had rigid Knots in the Thigh like what appear in violent

Cramps, but not so hard or painful. These were entirely dissipated in

a Minute or two, only by drawing sparks.

One at Upsal, who had lost the Use of his Limbs from Cold, for

several Years, was in some Weeks quite restored.37

Abigail Brown, aged 22,...was from a Child frequently afflicted with

a violent Head-ache...she was electrified five Days successively,

having one Wire applied to the fore Part, another to the hinder Part

of the Head, and receiving seven or eight Shocks each Time. Hereby

she was entirely cured, nor has found any Pain in her Head since,

unless occasionally for want of Sleep.38

A Man, fifty-seven Years old, who had been deaf for thirty-two Years,

was so relieved in a few Days, as to hear tolerably well.39

These case studies illustrate the variety of both the methods used

and the ailments treated by electricity during the last half of the

eighteenth century. They corroborate Wesley's observation that the

majority of the cases are of the nervous, hysteric type. He

asserted, " We know it (electricity) is a thousand medicines in one;

in particular, that it is the most efficacious medicine in nervous

disorders of every kind, which has yet been discovered.40 It is

important to remember, however, that Wesley's rationale for these

effects was physiological, not psychological. He concluded:

It seems the Electric Fire in Cases of this kind and of many other

Kinds, dilates the minute Vessels, and capillary Passages, as well as

separates the clogging Particles of the stagnating Fluids. By

accelerating likewise the Motion of the Blood, it removes many

Obstructions.41