SPASMODIC AFFECTIONS. 



429 



occur there, or in changing what has been a long established 

 habit in the animal economy. We have therefore, in the most 

 frequent cases of epilepsy, very little power within the reach of 

 our art. We are not to doubt therefore immediately of the effi- 

 cacy of a remedy which has been reported as successful, al- 

 though it fails in a particular instance." 



MCCCXIX. The cure of idiopathic epilepsy, as I have 

 said above, is to be directed by our knowledge of the remote 

 causes. There are therefore two general indications to be form- 

 ed : the first is, to avoid the occasional causes ; and the second 

 is, to remove Or correct the predisponent 



This method, however, is not always purely palliative ; as in 

 many cases the predisponent may be considered as the only 

 proximate cause, so our second indication may be often consid- 

 ered as properly curative. 



MCCCXX. From the enumeration given above, it will be 

 manifest, that, for the most part, the occasional causes, so far 

 as they are in our power, need only to be known in order to be 

 avoided ; and the means of doing this will be sufficiently obvi- 

 ous. I shall here, therefore, offer only a few remarks. 



MCCCXXI. One of the most frequent of the occasional 

 causes is that of over-distention (MCCCXIV.), which, so far 

 as it depends upon a plethoric state of the system, I shall say 

 hereafter how it is to be avoided. But as, not only in the ple- 

 thoric, but in every moveable constitution, occasional turges- 

 cence is a frequent means of exciting epilepsy, the avoiding 

 therefore of such turgescence is what ought to be most con- 

 stantly the object of attention to persons liable to epilepsy. 



MCCCXXII. Another of the most frequent exciting causes 

 of this disease, are, all strong impressions suddenly made upon 

 the senses ; for, as such impressions, in moveable constitutions, 

 break in upon the usual force, velocity, and order of the mo- 

 tions of the nervous system, they thereby readily produce epi- 

 lepsy. Such impressions, therefore, and especially those which' 

 are suited to excite any emotion or passion of the mind, are to 

 be most carefully guarded against by persons liable to epilepsy 



MCCCXXIII. In many cases of epilepsy, where the pre- 

 disponent cause cannot be corrected or removed, the recurrence. 

 )f the disease can only be prevented by the strictest attention 



