Case of Epilepsy. 13 



a favourable opinion of the Nitrate of Silver, as a re- 

 medy in epilepsy. I have, accordingly, had recourse 

 to that powerful article, in the few cases of this dis- 

 ease that have come under my management. 



I take the liberty of stating to you the particulars 

 of one case, which goes some way to prove the effi- 

 cacy of the nitrate of silver in epilepsy. 



On the first of February, 1804, N J , 



the person to whom I allude, was seized with a fit of 

 this disease. He is about thirty years of age, and 

 follows the occupation of a plasterer. He is of a 

 light and active habit. He supposes his memory is a 

 little impaired : his friends think the activity of his 

 mind is somewhat blunted. He had, for some years, 

 been subject to violent attacks of epilepsy. There 

 generally was, at first, an interval of four or five 

 months between the paroxysms ; but, afterwards, his 

 disease recurred more frequently ; so that, during the 

 last year, he had seven attacks, which were very vio- 

 lent, and apparently dangerous. 



In these attacks, an hourly reiteration of convul- 

 sions, alternating with coma, with, now and then, an 

 imperfect exercise of his senses, commonly continued 

 for two or three days. He suffered most from his 

 disease in the winter season. 



This morning (the day above-mentioned) he went 

 out fasting, and laboured about an hour in removing 

 snow from a path. Upon feeling a degree of faintness 



