le DR CHASE'S RECIPES. 



and masons and bricklayers may have it from the touching of lime. Similar 

 eruptions are also produced by the irritation of blistering ointment, not only 

 where the blister has been applied, but at some distance from it, and the erup- 

 tion has a number of hard swellings and boils intermixed with it. The 

 irritating cause must be removed, and emollient poultices applied to diminish 

 the heat and uneasiness, and to bring the boils to a suppuration. Even a com- 

 mon bread and milk poultice often or long applied to a place, has sometimes a 

 similar effect. In this case, the poultice must be left off, and simple dressing 

 applied. A course of alteratives and gentle laxatives will do much good, and 

 the diet should generally be good and nourishing. Remedy, pages 97, 227. 



EPILEPSY, CONVULSIONS, OR PALLING SICKNESS.— 

 A. disease of frequent occurrence, and arising from many various causes, con- 

 sisting of convulsions of more or fewer of the muscles of voluntary motion, 

 accompanied with a loss of sense, and ending in a state resembling deep sleep. 

 Epilepsy suddenly attacks persons seemingly in perfect health; and going off 

 after a certain time, the patients are left in their usual state. In some patients 

 there is a very curious warning of the approach of an epileptic fit. Yrova. some 

 point on the surface of the body, perhaps one of the fingers or toes, a sensation 

 begins, as of a cold wind, or the creeping of an insect; which appears to pro- 

 ceed to the head, and when it reaches that part, the patient is convulsed. This 

 is called the aura epUeptica. In other cases, the patient fancies he sees a spectre 

 approaching him, and the contact of this figure is the commencement of the 

 convulsions. Whether there be any warning or not, a person thus attacked 

 loses all power of sense and motion, and either falls or is thrown with convul- 

 sions to the ground. In that situation, violent convulsions variously move the 

 limbs and the trunk of the body, and frequently with more violence on one 

 side than the other. In almost all cases, the muscles of the face and eyes are 

 much affected, giving a very distressing and alarming distortion to the counte- 

 nance. The tongue is often affected, and thrust out of the mouth; and by the 

 convulsive action of the muscles which shut the jaw, the tongue is not unfre- 

 quently severely wounded, and has been known to be almost bitten through. 

 During the continuance of the convulsions, as the patient has not the power of 

 swallowing, the spittle issues from the mouth, worked into a frothy state by the 

 action of respiration. This is always an unseemly appearance, though by itself 

 it is not to be greatly regarded. The convulsions remit for a few minutes, and 

 are then renewed, perhaps with increased violence. In a little time, the con- 

 vulsions cease altogether, and the person is in a state of complete insensibility, 

 which remains for a considerable time. Gradually he recovers his senses, but 

 has no distinct remembrance of what has passed from the first attack of th6 

 paroxysm. The pulse and breathing are somewhat irregular and hurried dur* 

 ing the fit, but soon return to their natural state. 



Causes. — In this, as in all nervous diseases, the explanation of causes is 

 very difficult. The opposite causes of over-excitement and of debility are both 

 known to produce epilepsy. Every thing that irritates the brain, or the mental 

 faculties, which we, in our imperfect knowledge, believe to be dependent oa 



