I 
j«EX TRACTS 
f v A K. X O TT S J O tT n IV A Ij H ' 
I TO 
I FRANCIS' " I 
GALVANIC and ELECTRO MAGNETIC 
PROCESS 
OF I 
(Ertrorting Ccctt) witljout pain. | 
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I ' PHILADELPHIA: j 
INQUIRER PRINTING OFFICE, 121 SOUTH THIRD STREET, | 
> '* * 1858. 1 
! . _ EXTRACTS 
FROM 
xr zl n. i o rr s <rouiitixrykiijs 
\ 
IN RELATION TO 
FRANCIS' 
GALVANIC and ELECTRO-MAGNETIC 
PROCESS 
OF 
(£rtrMting CActij mittjout pain. 
PHILADELPHIA: 
INQUIRER PRINTING OFFICE, 121 SOUTH THIRD STREET, 
1858. EXTRACTS 
From the July Number, 1858, of the Dental News Letter, 
edited by J. D. White, M. D. D. D. S., and J. R. 
McCurdy, D. D. N 
GALVANIC PROCESS. 
This seems to be a new application of* galvanism, and 
one that is likely to be of some importance to the dentist. 
We cannot see how it could be well applied to any other 
operation in surgery than to extracting teeth. Our atten- 
tion was first directed to it by Mr. J. B. Francis, dentist, 
but we gave it no serious consideration, as we regarded 
it as one of the thousand expedients of the day to 
attract attention in the newspapers. But we were 
attached to a sub-committee of the scientific committee 
of the Franklin Institute, to investigate its claims ; 
under these circumstances, we gave it some attention. 
The manner of applying it has already been made public. 
Most persons suppose that there is a shock experienced 
in applying it, or that it is painful to the tooth ; these 
objections are not correct. We have applied it in many 
cases, and the pain was considerably less than in the 
ordinary way, in all except one case. One patient, a 
lady about twenty-five years of age, had three or four 
roots extracted, without applying the galvanism, and 
suffered great pain. We applied the current, and she 
still suffered severe pain. The teeth were hard to 
extract. After extracting three teeth, we sent the 4 
patient to a dentist who had been very successful in its 
use, but she suffered there as much as with us; so it is 
clear, that in this case galvanism, as at present applied, 
was of no use to that patient; but in every other case 
it did lessen the pain. Some patients ask, when they 
observe us leave the mouth, whether we have taken out 
the tooth or not, as they are not sensible when the tooth 
left the socket, although they know that we had put the 
forceps on the tooth, and that an effort at extracting 
had been made. We sent a great many patients to 
Dr. Wilkinson and to Dr. Francis, and they all gave 
a satisfactory report of their success. We sent a small 
boy to Dr. Wilkinson, and when he returned, he said 
that it did not " hurt him in the least." A young lady 
called on us a few days ago to get a set of teeth, who 
had ten large teeth extracted by Dr. Francis. She said 
they did not ''hurt her" in the least. These teeth were 
extracted without lancing the gum. It may do in some 
cases, but we approve of lancing the gum in extract- 
ing teeth. 
The great question to be decided is, does this process 
take away the terror of extracting a tooth? the pang 
of dislodging a tooth from the socket ? With us it is 
our decided opinion that it does. Although some patients 
experience some pain, they say they would not be afraid 
to get another extracted. It is a constant remark, 
"Well, I would not have another extracted the old way." 
There is no danger in applying the galvanic current in 
any case, as in chloroform or ether. Many persons tell 
us that they tried ether once, but would not try it again. 
It does not relieve the patient from a dread of a second 
application. We consider this of more importance than 
the alleviation of pain. There is another important 
matter connected with the galvanic process. The 
patient, no matter how many teeth may have been 
extracted, does not feel exhaused after the operation, 5 
as when the extraction is done without the galvanism, 
or under the influence of ether or chloroform; it leaves 
no sequences. We have conducted our experiments 
against prejudice; but what we have witnessed thus far, 
we are satisfied with, and would recommend it to the 
consideration of dentists. J. d. w. 
THE APPLICATION OF GALVANISM IN THE EXTRACTION OF 
TEETH. 
For some months past, there has been in this city 
certain persons professing to extract teeth without pain, 
by the use of Galvanism, and about which we have 
received many letters of inquiry. 
Sufficient interest was felt in the matter to induce the 
appointment of a committee by the "Franklin Institute" 
of Philadelphia, also one by the " Pennsylvania Associa- 
tion of Dental Surgeons," and from the report of the 
former we shall make some extracts, and the latter we 
hope to give entire elsewhere.* 
We had been of the opinion that the effect of the 
application of an electric current to the tooth, would not 
lessen the amount of pain usually experienced in extrac- 
tions, but simply change the character of that pain, yet 
causing more or less suffering; and we found similar 
opinions were entertained by one or more occupying 
prominent positions in the profession, consequently we 
had given but little attention to the matter; but now, 
from the increasing interest manifested by the profession 
as evidenced by personal and written inquiries made of 
us, and the position it has assumed, gives it an import- 
ance that requires some notice in our journal, and we 
propose, therefore, to give such facts in connexion with 
it as we have been able to collect. 
*This report has not yet been made. 6 
Any agency that promises the alleviation of pain is to 
be sought after, and such an one is peculiarly desirable 
in the extraction of teeth; for how many there are 
whose health is impaired by retaining in their mouths 
diseased teeth and roots, rather than submit to the pain 
of extraction. If, therefore, by this process, the pain, 
if not entirely annulled, be only diminished, and that 
without the risk and dread sometimes attending the 
employment of the ordinary anasthetics, much every way 
is accomplished ; and for these very important considera- 
tions we trust the profession will test the matter tho- 
roughly and report results. 
The application is somewhat as follows:-The nega- 
tive pole or wire of the ordinary electro-magnetic machine 
-which is a graduated battery-is attached to the forcep 
or handle of it,* and then placing the metallic handle of 
the other pole in the hand of the patient; by this means 
a circuit is at once formed, on the forceps coming in con- 
tact with the tooth. An additional appliance is used in 
the form of a small spring footboard, which interrupts 
the current, but by pressure of the foot upon it, the 
circuit is at once formed. 
This interruption is said to be desirable until the 
forcep is placed upon the tooth, when the circuit is 
formed and the extraction made at once. 
One gentleman remarked to us that he often permitted 
the current to flow for a second or two before the attempt 
at extraction. It is given by another as his experience, 
that in a protracted operation, the prolonged pain would over- 
come or neutralize the effects of the electric current, and that 
in such cases, no exemption is afforded the patient by 
its use. 
We witnessed the extraction of some ten teeth and 
roots from the mouth of an intelligent but nervous lady, 
*One gentleman we saw operate, had the attachment made by drilling a hole 
through the end of one handle of the forcep, through which he passed a small copper 
wire hook, to which the flexible cord of the battery was attached. 7 
whose features we watched closely throughout the opera- 
tion, and who remarked that she " suffered very little 
pain from their extraction," and when complimented on 
her courage, said, in substance, that " she could not lay 
any claim to courage, for her endurance must be wholly 
attributed to the galvanism, which rendered the opera- 
tion comparatively a painless one." 
A peculiarity was noticeable in this case, viz :-The 
entire exemption from pain in the extraction of a molar 
tooth, the surrounding parts of which were very sensi- 
tive from being in a highly inflamed condition, and which 
rendered this exhibition of its effects very satisfactory. 
One thing, however, we could not fully understand, which 
was the shrinking of the patient on the application of the 
forceps, for, we reasoned, if no pain, why this indication 
of fear ? But this was clearly explained to us in a sub- 
sequent experiment by another operator, (when we wit- 
nessed the extraction of several teeth and roots, the 
patient-a nervous female-asserting that she suffered 
very little pain,) by having the application made to our 
own mouth. The sensation, when the current was com- 
pleted, being anything but agreeable, and somewhat simi- 
lar in pungency to the application of fire, or a jet of flame 
to the living tissue, when we could readily understand 
why the pain of extraction would be neutralized to a 
very great extent under this influence, and were at once 
reminded of our former opinion of its merely changing 
the character of the pain. Still, had we any teeth 
requiring extraction, we should certainly test the bat- 
tery, in the hope that we would be the gainer thereby. 
From the report of the committee appointed by the 
Franklin Institute, we extract as follows :- 
" One hundred and sixty-four teeth were extracted in 
the presence of the committee. * * * * 
" The committee is satisfied from the observation and 
experience of its members, that in a large majority of 8 
cases of extraction with this apparatus, no pain whatever 
is felt by the patient. * * * * * 
" To test the question whether the effect might not be 
simply mental, the circuit was broken without the patient 
being aware of it, when the usual pain was experienced, 
although, in the same patient, and on the same occasion, 
teeth had been removed while the current was flowing, 
without causing pain. * * * * * 
" The sensation produced by the passage of the current 
is not painful, it being so adjusted as to be just percepti- 
ble to the patient. The committee believes its use to be 
entirely without danger, and not likely to be followed by 
any unpleasant after effects. * * * The operator 
requires no new instruments except the battery and 
coil. * * * * * 
"As to the theory of these very singular and unex- 
pected results, the committee does not express an 
opininion; of the facts it is fully satisfied." 
A gentleman out of the city, who felt a great desire 
to test it, reports :- 
1 have extracted about 30 teeth since I returned, by 
the "Galvanic Process," with the most satisfactory 
results, some saying that it did not 'hurt a bit,' (to use 
their own language.)" 
In the Southern Medical and Surgical Journal for June, 
we find a communication from I). S. Chase, M. D., D. 
D. 8., detailing his experience in extracting " more than 
fifty teeth" with electricity, from which we extract as 
follows :- 
" The First Case in which I tried it, I removed seven 
teeth, all firmly set-five molars and two cuspidati or 
eye teeth. In extracting the first tooth, too much 
electricity was applied, and the patient complained of 
pain from the shock, but not from the removal of the 
tooth. In the second tooth too little was applied, and 
the tooth itself gave pain. After this, we were able to 
regulate the quantity, so that neither the electricity nor 
the extraction of th^ tooth gave much pain. Patient 
not at all nervous, and frequently expressed herself 
highly pleased with the operation. The feeling expe- 
rienced during the extraction of the teeth, as she 9 
expressed it, was a benumbing sensation about the tooth, 
which appeared to be attached only to the gum. 
" Second Case.-Extracted six teeth. Patient some- 
what debilitated from previous suffering with her teeth, 
and quite nervous. Suffered considerable pain during 
the operation, but would not allow one to be extracted 
without electricity. 
" Third Case.-Extracted four teeth. Patient suffered 
but little pain. 
" Fourth Case.-Extracted a molar tooth, that had 
been previously broken, for a highly intelligent gentle- 
man from a neighboring village. He was much pleased 
with the operation, and was very enthusiastic in his 
praises of electricity as applied to Dental Surgery. 
" Fifth and last Case, that I will report at present.- 
Extracted ten teeth for an elderly lady. Expressed no 
fear or pain during the operation, and seemed to treat 
the affair as a mere trifle, which might be attended to 
any morning, without much inconvenience. 
" The general expression by those who have tried it, 
seems to be decidenly in favor of electricity in extract- 
ing teeth. 
In some of the cases mentioned above, the gums were 
lanced by the same process, by connecting one pole of 
the battery with the handle of the lancet, while the 
patient held the other-the hand of the operator being 
protected by a silk glove." 
As will be noticed in the above extract, a glove is 
necessary on the hand of the operator to prevent his 
receiving a portion of the current, or the intervention of 
a napkin between the operator's left hand and the pa- 
tient's mouth may be sufficient. 
The suggestion of connecting the lancet with the bat- 
tery is a good one, and worthy of attention. 
We have been informed, we may say in conclusion, 
that a patent has been obtained for this application of gal- 
vanism, and that it is the intention of the proprietors to 
dispose of office rights. About this, however, we need say 
nothing further now, than we regret any restriction to its 
universal use, should be placed upon a discovery claiming 
to be such a blessing to the human race. J. r. m'c. 10 
EXTRACT 
From The American Journal of Dental Science, of July, 
1858, edited by Chapin A. Harris, M. D., D. D. S. 
and A. Snowden Piggot, M. D. 
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT. 
Local Anaesthesia by the Application of an Electric Cur- 
rent.-Many, if not most of the readers of the Journal, 
have doubtless heard of this novel method of producing 
local anaesthesia, and its application in the extraction 
of teeth. It was brought to the notice of the Senior 
Editor about two months ago, by one of the agents of 
Mr. Jerome B. Francis, of Philadelphia, the inventor, 
with the request that he would give it a fair trial. Hav- 
ing consented to do so, he requested the agent to place 
in the infirmary of the Baltimore College of Dental 
Surgery one of the small galvanic batteries which had 
been gotten up for the purpose, and, at the time appointed 
for the experiment, a number of persons, having decayed 
and aching teeth, presented themselves for the purpose 
of undergoing what they had been led to believe would 
be a painless operation, and in nearly every case their 
hopes were seemingly realized. Between thirty and 
forty teeth were extracted by Dr. Arthur, late Professor 
in the Philadelphia Dental College. The experiment 
at the College was continued two afternoons; on the 
second day the Senior Editor was not present, but Dr. 
Arthur informed him it was quite as successful as on the 11 
first, and with a view of ascertaining how much the 
imagination might influence the patient, he, in the case 
of a boy, who wished to have two teeth extracted, ap- 
plied the electric current while removing the first; the 
lad affirmed that he suffered no pain, but in the removal 
of the second it was not applied, and the pain occasioned 
by the operation was so great, that he screamed lustily. 
The apparent success of these experiments, induced 
the Senior Editor to apply the invention of Mr. Francis 
in his private practice, and the result thus far has cer- 
tainly been very satisfactory-a large majority of his 
patients, for whom he has extracted teeth, having 
assured him that they experienced no pain while under- 
going the operation, and, as a general thing, those who 
did suffer, stated that the pain was much less than 
what they usually suffered under the operation. The 
anaesthetic effect of the electric current seems to be 
different in different individuals. When the tooth can 
be grasped and extracted without the instrument coming 
in contact with the gum, the operation has been appar- 
ently completely successful, but when it is pressed 
against the surrounding soft tissues, the entire current 
of the electricity does not pass through the tooth, and 
we presume it is for this reason, that the operation is 
not then successful. 
How it is that local anaesthesia is thus produced we 
cannot understand, but that it is, at least in a large 
majority of cases, seems to be well established, and 
wishing to give our readers all the information we possess 
upon the subject, we subjoin the following report of the 
Philadelphia Franklin Institute, and to -which, it will be 
perceived, are attached the names of two dentists well 
known to the profession. As the method of applying 
the electrical current is described in this report, it is not 
necessary for us to repeat what is there said upon the 
subject. 12 
Hall of the Franklin Institute, 
Philadelphia, April 8, 1858. 
The Sub-Committee on Science and Arts, constituted 
by the Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania, 
for the promotion of the Mechanic Arts, to whom was 
referred for examination the method of extracting teeth, 
invented by Mr. Jerome B. Francis, of Philadelphia, Pa. 
REPORT. 
That the object of this invention is the painless ex- 
traction of teeth. The method is simple. It consists in 
attaching the extracting instrument by means of a flexi- 
ble conductor to one pole (preferably the negative) of an 
ordinary electro-magnetic machine, while the patient 
grasps the metallic handle attached to the other pole. 
An interrupted electrical current thus traverses the body 
of the patient and the extracting instrument. The 
intensity of the current is previously graduated by with- 
drawing the piston of the coil while the patient grasps 
both the forceps and handle, until it is just distinctly 
perceptible, and the circuit through the tooth is not com- 
pleted until the moment at which extraction is to begin. 
In regard to the efficacy of the process, the Committee 
has the following testimony :- 
1st. 164 teeth were extracted in the presence of the 
Committee, a report of which cases is herewith sub- 
mitted. 
2d. Members of the Committee have experimented 
independently with the apparatus. The report of one 
member who has had it in use four weeks, and extracted 
between four and five hundred teeth with it, is also sub- 
mitted. 
The Committee is satisfied, from the observation and 
experiment of its members, that in a large majority of 
cases of extraction with this apparatus, no pain whatever 
is felt by the patient. 13 
To test the question whether the effect might not he 
simply mental, the circuit was broken without the patient 
being aware of it, when the usual pain was experienced, 
although, in the same patient, and on the same occasion, 
teeth had been removed while the current was flowing, 
without causing pain. 
In the less successful cases, the teeth were broken 
and diseased below the level of the gum, and the pain, 
in adjusting the forceps previous to the completion of the 
circuit and the extraction, considerable. 
The sensation produced by the passage of the current 
is not painful, it being so adjusted as to be just percepti- 
ble to the patient. The Committee believes its use to be 
entirely without danger, and not likely to be followed by 
any unpleasant after effects. 
The whole apparatus is cheap, the operator requires 
no new instruments except the battery and coil, and the 
application demands no more time, and scarcely more 
trouble than the ordinary method. 
In these respects its use contrasts favorably with that 
of general ansesthetics, which are troublesome and tedious 
in their application, and not free from danger, or the 
employment of freezing mixtures to the jaw, for the pur- 
pose of producing local anaesthesia; a process which 
cannot be recommended as either harmless or efficient. 
The Committee believes the employment of electricity 
in the manner and for the object indicated, to be original 
with Dr. Francis. It is true, that the heat developed 
by the passage of a considerable current through fine 
platinum wire, has been employed to cauterize ulcers of 
the throat, and to destroy the nerves of teeth. There 
is obviously, however, no parallelism in these cases. 
The use of the electrical current in neuralgia presents 
more analogy; in these cases, however, the current is 
used for a long period, and with the object of inducing 
a change in the morbid state of the parts, rather than as 14 
a means of removing pain at once; whereas, to be effec- 
tive in extraction, the current must be applied at the 
moment of extraction ; if allowed to flow through the 
tooth for a very short time before the operation, its 
effect is diminished or lost. 
As to the theory of these very singular and unex- 
pected results, the Committee does not express an 
opinion ; of the fact it is fully satisfied. 
In view of the importance of the discovery, the Com- 
mittee recommends to Mr. Francis, the award of the 
Scott's medal and premium. All of which is respect- 
fully submitted. 
[Signed,] Wm. Hamilton, Actuary. 
Philadelphia, April 3d, 1858. 
To the Sub-Committee of Science and the Arts, 
of Franklin Institute, on Francis' Invention: 
Gentlemen: 
I have deemed it my duty to submit to you the fol- 
lowing statement, for fear I might not be able to attend 
at your meeting. 
When I first heard of Mr. Francis' invention, my 
impression of it was very unfavorable ; more, perhaps, 
for the reason that I did not understand how the elec- 
tricity was applied. Having heard from several of my 
patients that teeth had actually been extracted without 
pain, I felt it my duty to try some experiments with it. 
The first experiment I tried was on three teeth of my 
son's. I attached one of the poles of the electro-magnetic 
machine to the forceps, and fitted on the tooth. 1 then 
had my son grasp firmly a handle attached to the other 
pole of the machine, and at the same time I drew the 
tooth. 
The rod of the electro-magnetic machine had been 
previously so adjusted, that when my son (the patient) 
grasped the handle in one hand, and the forceps in the 15 
other, he could only feel a slight and pleasant sensation 
of electricity. The experiment was entirely successful, 
the tooth was extracted (my son says) without pain. 
I was just as successful with the other two, and also on 
some teeth which I extracted from my servant girl. I 
have up to this time, extracted with this process between 
four and five hundred teeth, and have been successful 
with ninety-five per cent of them. 
This process has, of course, entirely changed my first 
impression of the invention. I have now the most ex- 
alted opinion of it, and would not extract teeth without 
its aid upon any account. 
When a patient has more than one tooth to be ex- 
tracted, I find it saves me much time, for, by the old 
way, when I had extracted one tooth, I found it very 
difficult to persuade the patient to have another pulled, 
which sometimes consumed a great deal of time. By 
this process, I can go on pulling, as witnessed in the 
case recorded in my book as No. 3, in which four stumps 
were extracted in forty (40) seconds, and in No. 4, four 
teeth were extracted in fifteen (15) seconds, and waited 
only fifteen seconds, and then extracted two more in ten 
seconds. Case No. 6, had five teeth pulled in 30 seconds. 
Case No. 11, had five teeth extracted in 35 seconds, 
after an interval of thirty seconds, had six in thirty 
seconds more, and after an interval of thirty seconds, 
had two more in eight seconds, and after an interval of 
two and a half minutes, had one more incisor, making 
14 in all. 
I also found, contrary to my first impression, that 
teeth diseased at the root could be extracted with but 
slight pain, and sometimes without any, and without any 
disagreeable feeling from the current, as witnessed in case 
No. 25 ; a lady, twenty-five years of age, had three teeth 
taken out, one of them very badly diseased at the root. 
She exclaimed, Oh ! that don't hurt 1 and so with several 16 
other cases. There is sometimes an after-pain in extract- 
ing diseased teeth. It occurs immediately after the 
tooth leaves the socket; it is probably caused by the 
cold air coming in contact with the diseased part thus 
exposed. 
Teeth extracting is the most unpleasant part of den- 
tistry, and I am happy to state that, by my use of this 
process, I have been saved much of the unpleasantness 
occasioned by giving my patients so much pain. 
A young man had a tooth extracted by me yesterday, 
he said he had always a great difficulty in having his teeth 
extracted, but with this one he said he felt no pain. 
He was quite delighted and thanked me; something, he 
said, he had never done to a dentist before. 
Numerous instances of the same kind have occurred 
in my use of this invention. I have found that the 
hemorrhage is in no degree increased by this process, 
and I have heard of no person who experienced any sub- 
sequent pain or inconvenience. In no case have I found 
the use of this invention in any way objectionable. 
Very respectfully, yours, &c., 
B. Howard Rand, M. D. W. S. WILKINSON. 
Franklin Peale, Esq. 
J. Aitken Meigs, M. D. 
The report of the Committee on file in the Franklin 
Institute is signed by 
B. Howard Rand, M. D. Franklin Peale, 
W. H. Hazard, M. D. J. Aitken Meigs, M. D. 
Henry Hartshorne, M. D. J. De Haven White, M. D. 
Wm. S. Wilkinson, Edward Townsend, 1). D. S. 
The exclusive right to the application of electricity 
for the production of local anaesthesia in the extraction 
of teeth, has been secured to the inventor, Mr. Francis, 
as will be seen by the following schedule and letters 
patent: Eds. 17 
The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent, and making 
parts of the same. 
To ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN : 
Be it known, that I, Jerome B. Francis, of the City of 
Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented 
a new and useful improvement in instruments for remov- 
ing teeth; and I do hereby declare the following to be a 
full and exact description of the same, reference being- 
had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specifi- 
cation, which represents a perspective view of my im- 
provement. 
My improvement consists in combining with a common 
dental forceps an electro-magnetic machine, in such man- 
ner that a wire from a negative pole of the machine shall 
form a metallic connection with that part of the forceps 
that grasps the tooth, and that the positive pole of the 
machine shall be connected with the patient's hand by a 
metallic connection. The handles of the forceps, which 
are held by the operator, are better to be insulated 
with gutta-percha, or similar non-conducting substance. 
In the accompanying figure, A represents an ordinary 
electro-magnetic machine, with the battery, B, attached. 
D represents the ordinary dental forceps. A wire, C, 
passes from the negative pole, P, of the electro-magnetic 
machine to the point, d, of the forceps, where a close 
metallic connection is made. On the inner side of the 
forceps, at the point d, a small metallic cup is placed, and 
a small copper stem projects from the opposite side, e, 
of the forceps. As the parts f and g of the forceps 
close upon the tooth where it is surrounded by the gum, 
the induced current from the electro-magnetic machine 
passes through the wire C, and across from d to e, and 
thus applies itself around the whole tooth in the vicinity 
of the nerves, and so affects also the nerves, rendering 
them temporarily insensible. The patient, or person 
operated on, must hold in one of his hands the extremity 18 
of the other wire, II, so as to complete the circuit through 
his body. 1 represents the hands of the operator grasp- 
ing the forceps, and K the hand of the patient grasping 
the wire passing to the positive pole of the machine. 
The electro-magnetic machine has a sliding rod, by which 
the induced current may be varied in intensity. The 
intensity of the current to be passed through the patient's 
tooth should be graduated, by observing in advance how 
much he can conveniently bear when he grasps the 
extremity of the wires H and C in each hand. A little 
practice will enable the dentist to determine this readily. 
The electro-magnetic machine, A, is of the ordinary form 
employed for medical purposes, and consists of a battery 
of one cell, a primary coil and inducing coil, a small 
electro-magnet for breaking and closing the circuit through 
the wires C and II and the patient's body. Any other 
form of electro-magnetic machine may be employed. 
I have described above, particularly, the machine 
frequently called an electro-magnetic machine, and which 
is used for medical purposes. There are several other 
forms of machine, sometimes classified as electro-mag- 
netic, or magneto-electric, which are known to be equiva- 
lent in their action on the nervous system to the one 
above described-such, for example, as the double helices, 
or coils composed of two coils of wire, one surrounding 
the other, one being a quantity helix, or coil, and con- 
nected with the battery, and the other an intensity helix, 
or coil, and to be connected with the body of the patient. 
Instead of using a little electro-magnet break-circuit in 
the first helix as shown in the drawing, a clock-work 
break-circuit, or electrotome, may be used, or a rasp may 
be used, in connection with the aid of an assistant, for 
breaking and closing the circuit ; so also there are several 
forms of magneto-electric machines in which permanent 
magnets are used, to induce, by mechanical action, a 
magneto-electric current in a coil surrounding a revolving 19 
soft iron armature. In all these cases the same peculiar 
effect on the nerve of the patient's tooth would result if 
either of these machines were combined with the forceps, 
inasmuch as they are all well known to be ecpiivalents 
in applying electricity to the body for medical purposes. 
A direct circuit from the battery might also be combined 
with the forceps, and either with or without t he aid of 
an interposed break-circuit the same effect would take 
place to a great degree, although the use of such a bat- 
tery, of the proper intensity, would probably be found 
much more inconvenient than the magneto-electric (or as 
they are sometimes called, electro-magnetic,) machines 
above named. 
Instead of a metallic conductor, to connect the electro- 
magnetic machine with the forceps, any other kind of 
conductor might be used-or the operator's hands might 
be used for one conductor. I prefer to connect the nega- 
tive pole of the machine with the forceps; but this is 
not indispensable, as the positive pole will also answer. 
The little pieces, f and g, are not indispensable, because 
the forceps itself conveys the current very rapidly to the 
tooth, around the whole body of the tooth. 
Having thus described my improvement, what I claim 
as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 
is the combination of the electro-magnetic machine, or 
its equivalent, with the dental forceps, for removing 
teeth without pain; arranged and operating substantially 
in the manner above described. 
J. B. FRANCIS. 
Witnesses, 
J. H. B. Jenkins, 
Charles D. Freeman. 
ISSUE No. 20,390. 
TO ALL WHOM THESE LETTERS PATENT SHALL COME : 
Whereas, Jerome B. Francis, of Philadelphia, Pa., has 
alleged that he has invented a new and useful Improve- 
ment in the Method of Extracting Teeth, (he having 20 
assigned his right, title and interest in said Improvement 
to William Harper^ Jr. of said Philadelphia, and said 
Harper having re-assigned the same to said Jerome B. 
Francis, and the said Jerome B. Francis having assigned 
the same to James J. Clark, of said Philadelphia,) which 
he states has not been known or used before his appli- 
cation; has made oath that he is a citizen of the United 
States ; that he does verily believe that he is the original 
and first inventor or discoverer of the said improvement, 
and that the same hath not, to the best of his knowledge 
and belief, been previously known or used ; has paid into 
the Treasury of the United States the sum of thirty 
dollars, and presented a petition to the Commissioner of 
Patents, signifying a desire of obtaining an exclusive 
property in the said Improvement, and praying that a 
Patent may be granted for that purpose. 
These are therefore to grant, according to law, to the 
said James J. Clark, his heirs, administrators or assigns, 
for the term of fourteen years from the twenty-fifth day 
of May, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, the 
full and exclusive right and liberty of making, construct- 
ing, using, and vending to others to be used, the said 
improvement, a description whereof is given in the words 
of the said Jerome B. Francis, in the schedule hereunto 
annexed, and is made a part of these presents. 
In Testimony Whereof, I have caused these letters 
to be made patent, and the seal of the Patent 
Office has been hereunto affixed. Given under 
my hand, at the City of Washington, this twenty- 
fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord one 
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, and of 
the Independence of the United States of America 
the eighty-second. 
JACOB THOMPSON, Secretary of the Interior. 
Countersigned and sealed zvith the seal of the Patent Office. 
J. HOLT, Commissioner of Patents. 21 
Twelfth Meeting of the American Association for the Advance- 
ment of Science. 
General Session, Tuesday, May 4th, 1858. 
The Association was called to order by the President, 
and the minutes of Monday's proceedings read and 
approved. 
Dr. C. P. Williams read a paper on the production of 
local Anaesthesia, by a novel application of current elec- 
tricity. 
Though much has been done by Morse, Cooke, Wheat- 
son, Bain, Henry, House, and others, in the application 
of electricity to the arts, very little has been done in 
this respect for Physiological and Pathological science. 
The investigations of Matteucci and Raymond have 
been directed chiefly to the elucidation of the electricity 
of the body; those of Duchenne and Golding Bird have 
had in view the therapeutic uses of this agent. But the 
inquiries into this latter field are just beginning to open 
out into a new channel. A number of highly interesting 
experiments lately carried on in the city of Philadelphia, 
have developed the remarkable fact, that electricity can 
be applied with great advantage as a local anaesthetic 
agent. The drugs generally used to produce anaesthesia 
are, as is well known, troublesome and tedious in appli- 
cation, and not free from danger. 
Mr. Jerome B. Francis, of Philadelphia, (a dentist by 
profession,) has met with great success in the application 
of the electric current, to prevent pain in extracting 
teeth. His method for using the current is briefly 
described in the report of the committee appointed by 
the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, to witness and 
investigate these experiments; a copy of which report 
is herewith submitted. The operations consist in attach- 
ing the extracting instrument, by means of a flexible 
conductor, to one pole of an electro-magnetic machine, 
while the patient grasps the metallic handle attached to 22 
the other pole. An interrupted electrical current thus 
traverses the body of the patient and the extracting 
instrument. The intensity of the current is previously 
graduated by withdrawing the piston of the coil, while 
the patient grasps both the forceps and the handle, and 
thus secures a current that will not be unpleasant. 
[From the Baltimore American of May 5th, 1858. 
Office rights to use this Invention will be sold for 
$100, for the fourteen years for which the patents have 
been issued. 
In order to make the payment easier, we will sell on 
the following condition :- 
Right to use the invention for six months will be sold 
for $30-the purchaser to have the privilege of buying 
the right for the remainder of the time for which the 
patents have been issued, for $70 more. 
The purchaser will be furnished with complete appa- 
ratus with instructions, accompanied by a correct litho- 
graph, showing the operation of extracting a tooth by 
this process. Any further information may be had by 
addressing 
JAMES J. CLARK, 
Assignee and Patentee, 
Box 1885 Philadelphia Post Office. 
Thos. L. Vanderbeck is general Agent, and is vested 
with power of Attorney to sell Rights and protect the 
interests of the invention. 
JAMES J. CLARK.