galvanism Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun electricity produced by chemical action
  2. noun the therapeutic application of electricity to the body (as in the treatment of various forms of paralysis)
    electrotherapy; electric healing; electrical healing.

WordNet

Gal"va*nism noun
Etymology
From Galvani: cf. F. galvanisme. See Galvanic.
Definitions
  1. (Physics) (a) Electricity excited by the mutual action of certain liquids and metals; dynamical electricity. (b) The branch of physical science which treats of dynamical elecricity, or the properties and effects of electrical currents. ✍ The words galvanism and galvanic, formerly in very general use, are now rarely employed. For the latter, voltaic, from the name of Volta, is commonly used.

Webster 1913