Class III. 1. 1. 7. OF VOLITION. 285 



in the fame manner in about half an hour, both which evidently 

 fhortened the convulfion fits, and the confequent ftupor ; he 

 then took thirty more drops, which for the prefent removed the 

 fits. He became rather infane the next day, and after about 

 three more days loft the infanity, and recovered his ufual date' 

 of health. 



The cafe mentioned in Seel. XXVII. 2. where the patient 

 was left after epileptic fits with a fuffufion of blood beneath the 

 tunica adjuncliva of the eye, was in almoft every refpect, fimilar 

 to the preceding, and fubmitted to the fame treatment. Both 

 of them fufFered frequent relapfes, which were relieved by the 

 fame means, and at length periihed, I believe, by the epileptic fits. 

 In thofe patients, who have not been fubject. to epilepfy be- 

 fore they have arrived to about forty years of age, and who 

 have been intemperate in refpeel to fpirituous potation, I have 

 been induced to believe, that the fits were occafioned by the 

 pain of a diieafed liver ; and this became more probable in one 

 of the above fubjecls, who had ufed means to repel eruptions 

 on the face ; and thus by fome ftimulant application had pre- 

 vented an inflammation taking place on the fkin of the face in- 

 ftead of on fome part of the liver. Secondly, as in thefe cafes in- 

 fanity had repeatedly occurred, which could not be traced from 

 an hereditary fource ; there is reafon to believe, that this as well 

 as the epileptic convullaons were caufed by fpirituous potation ; 

 and that this therefore is the original fource both of epilepfy 

 and of infanity in thofe families, which are afflicted with them. 

 This idea however brings fome confolation with it; as it may^e 

 inferred, that in a few fober generations thefe difeafes may be 

 eradicated, which otherwife deltroy the family. 



M. M. Venefeclion. Opium. Bark. Steel. Arfenic. 

 Opium one grain twice a day for years together. See the pre- 

 ceding article, and the fucceeding one. 



Anorexia epileptica, as mentioned in ClafsII. 2. 2. I. is a dread- 

 ful difeafe, originating, I believe, from a paralyfis of the ftom- 

 ach, and generally occafioned by the application of great exter- 

 nal cold to the fkin. A young lady, whom I faw yeiterday, who 

 had long experienced a weak tf ate of health, went to church on 

 an uncommonly cold Sunday, when the thermometer was faid 

 to ffcand below 20 during the whole day. She became immedi- 

 ately indifpofed, and was feized in a day or two with tremors 

 and convulfions in her fleep ; and which returned every two or 

 three days. Her extremities are now always uncommonly cold, 

 and her appetite to food totally defective. She took three drops 

 of a faturated folution of arfenic and a bitter draught twice a day 

 for a fortnight, and gradually recovered her former ftate of health. 



An other 



