from the affection. It is not certain what number of shocks will be necessary; there may be eight or ten strong shocks passed from the sides of the neck to the feet, each day; and as many light shocks passed from the top of the head to the feet, at the same time. Some means must be had, if possible, to keep the person warm. The operations must be repeated till the patient is restored to the right use of his mind; the strength of shocks may be abated from day to day, as occasion may require. In the habit under consideration, bleeding would give a tempoary r3elief; but as soon as the vessels were again replenished with their former quantity, the same affection to the head would be resumed.

I can have no idea of plethory, or too great a quantity of fluids in the system; but that all those symptoms which have given rise to such a doctrine, have proceeded from extravasitation, unequal distribution or morbid tensin, in whole, or in a part of the vascular system.

As it is peculiar to the action of a strong electric shock to remove tension, and to restore an equilibrium in the circulations, so it is peculiar to the shock to remove all those symptoms on which the doctrine of plethory is founded.

But, not withstanding, until a mean of taking off tension could be found, it hath been well enough to tamper with the effect, since the cause was either not known, or else could not be reached by any known means.

If the electric shock can be applied in the first stages of madness, before indirect debility takes place, it may be immediately removed; for the exciting power, so far as it exists in the mental faculties, whether it be horror, vexation, intense grief, &c. must have mental applications - all those soothing, entertaining, enlivening objects and funny topics of discourse, must be indulged in all their conceits, nor irritated by thwarting nor too much opposition to their spleeny notions.

These last symptoms are constant attendants on insanity in debility. When it consists in indirect debility, or from what commenced in raging madness with a strong pulsation in the first instance, it will require a greater length of time to remove it. This case of indirect debility, must be treated by electricity in the same manner as insanity in direct debility, just now to be described.

I have found, by experience, that gentle shocks through every part of the system upon the nerves, and through the stomach, and down the back of the head, upon the top of the head, through the brain to the feet, have assisted in restoring a person to the use of reason. The case I have respect to, and my manner of treat

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