262 STUDIES IN ELECTRO-PHYSIOLOGY: 



The principal neuro-electrical phenomena common to 

 grand-mal are low body deflections, combined with sub- 

 normal body temperature, excessively high head deflec- 

 tions and temperature, and a point of least resistance at 

 some part of the skull, from which, during an aura or during 

 and directly after a fit, an abnormally high deflection i s 

 obtained. 



The direct cause of the fit is, in fact, a species of neuro- 

 electrical brain-storm, and this storm is unquestionably 

 due to the nerve-force supplied to the brain not being able 

 to find its proper outlets or channels from the brain to the 

 nervous system the afferent nerves, conductive from 

 without but not receptive from within, possibly adding to 

 the pressure with the inevitable consequence that the 

 pressure in the brain becomes unbearable, and produces a 

 fit. Were this pressure not relieved, death or insanity 

 would probably ensue, but Nature provides for this con- 

 tingency by creating in the skull a path of least resistance 

 to the passage of the pent-up current to air. The exact 

 spot must be tested for and located in each case, and it is 

 from this spot a safety-valve that the highest head 

 deflection is obtained. 



Too much importance can hardly be attached to the 

 existence of this " safety-valve," because it not only points 

 to a means of alleviation, but affords convincing proof of 

 the soundness of the theory I have advanced. 



If the hair covering the " safety-valve " is shaved off 

 and a small silver plate is fastened upon it (the valve) by 

 means, say, of adhesive plaster, and an elastic belt carrying 

 a circular metallic plate, provided with a terminal, is placed 

 round the waist in such manner that the body -plate makes 

 contact with the skin, preferably 2 in. above the navel, it 

 is only necessary to connect the two plates by a wire a 

 shunt-circuit to bring in a few minutes the head and body 

 deflections and temperatures to normal. 



