46AD (Ancient Rome)- Scribonius Largos describes the us of torpedo fish (aquatic animals capable of electrical discharge) for medical applications. "The live black torpedo when applied to the painful area relieves some chronic and intolerable protracted headaches...carries off pain of arthritis...and eases other chronic pains of the body."

 

1600 (England) - William Gilbert, physician to Queen Elizabeth, published 

De Magnete, in which he describes the use of electricity in medicine.  He

re-discoversthat when certain materials are rubbed, they will attract light obejects.

 

1780 (Italy) - Galvani, Professor of Anatomy at the University of Bologna, first

observes twitching of muscles under the influence of electricity.  He then proves

that atmospheric electricity, will produce the same effects on muscular movement.

 

                                               1800 (Italy) - Carlo Matteucci shows that injured tissue generates electric                                                                current.

 

                                               1840 (England) - England's first electrical therapy department is established at                                                     Guy's Hospital, under Dr. Golding Bird.  The electrical discovery of Galvano                                                        leads to the use of mechanically pulsed Galvanic currents.  

 

                                               1891 (USA) - Nikola Tesla presents a paper in "Electrical Engineer", aboyt the                                                        medical application of high frequency currents.  He notes that when the body                                                      is transverse by alternating currents above a certain frequency, heat is                                                                      perceived.

 

1900 (Worldwide) - The electrical discoveries of Galvano, Faraday and Tesla were

therapeutically adopted by activating the electrical phenomena of the human body

with the use of Galvanic, Sinusoidal and Faradic currents.  These became the standard

methods of applying Electrical Body Stimulation.  There becomes are preference to

use the more comfortable and less hazardous Faraday method.

 

1908 (Germany) - Von Berndt, Von Priers and Von Zeyneck publish a paper on the

treatment of the pain of joint disease by high frequency currents.

 

1929 (Russia) - Lakhovsky publishes his book "The Secret of Life".  Conducts studies and concludes that cells possess resistance, capacitance, inductance and function like tuned resonant circuits, capable of resonating to a frequency when exposed to a range of frequencies.

 

1938 (USA) - Clinics are opened in San Diego, Los Angeles and Pasadena, California.

  Phenomenal results are reported.  A specical medical research committee is

organized at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles to oversee and

manage Dr. Rife's "Energy Medicine" research and clinical success.  

 

1950's - 1990's (Russia) - "Russian Stimulation" is developed - 4,000Hz bursts,

50% ON, 50% OFF, alternating currents used by athletes for building muscle and

increasing power.

 

                                             1970's (England & Canada) - Melzak and Wall propose the 'Pain Control Gate'                                                    theory, by which strong afferent nerve stimulation by chemical, mechanical or                                                      electrical means overrides painful sensations at hypothetical pain control gates                                                      in the spinal cord.

 

                                             1970's (USA) - Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is                                                                  acknowledged as a viable method of pain management by America's Food and                                                      Drug Administration (FDA).  Many American Companies begin production                                                      of  TENS devices.  The heart pacemaker is developed.

 

1970's & 80's (Sweden) - Clinical researchers Ericsson and Sjolund publish a series of articles in various scientific and medical journals.  They compare constant, high frequency "TENS to bursts of high frequency TENS (termed acupuncture-like TENS), finding that the latter offers better pain relief and does in fact instigate a release of endorphins into the bloodstream.

 

1981 (USA) - Becker publishes "The Body Electric". Challenges the established mechanistic

understanding of the body.  Finds clues to the healing process in the theory that electricity

is vital to life.

 

1991 (Germany) - Nobel Prize recipients Erwin Neher and Bert Sackmann developed

a technique that detects electrical currents to the trillionth of an Ampere in the

membranes of the cell, establishing the existance of ion channels.

 

2000 (USA) - John Mcdonald of Washington University uses intensive applications

of Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) to exercise the muscles of a quadriplegic of

8 years.  The patient defies medical science by regaining limited sensation and

movement in his body.  The regimen includes 2 hours of EMS and hydrotherapy

weekly.