DISEASES CLASS III. 1. 1. B 



of antagonist muscles, may give occasional cause to epileptic fits^ 

 and may be relieved in the same way, either by exciting irrita- 

 tive and sensitive motions by the stimulus of opium and wine; 

 or by convulsions or insanity, as described above, which are only 

 different methods of exhausting the genera! quantity of sensorial 

 power. 



Considering the great resemblance between this kind of pain- 

 ful epilepsy and the colic of Japan, as described by Kaempfer; 

 and that that disease was said to be cured by acupuncture, or the 

 prick of a needle; I directed some very thin steel needles to be 

 made about three inches long, and of such a temper, that they 

 would bend double rather than break; and wrapped wax thread 

 over about half an inch of the blunt end for a handle. One of 

 these needles, when the pain occurred, was pushed about an 

 inch into the painful part, and the pain instantly ceased; but I 

 was not certain, whether the fear of the patient, or the stimulus 

 of the puncture, occasioned the cessation of pain; and as the 

 paroxysm had continued some weeks, and was then declining, 

 the experiment was not tried again. The disease is said to be 

 very frequent in Japan, and its seat to be in the bowels, and 

 that the acupuncture eliminates the air, which is supposed to 

 distend the bowel. But though the aperture thus made is too 

 small to admit of the eduction of air; yet as the stimulus of so 

 small a puncture may either excite a torpid part into action, or 

 cause a spasmodic one to cease to act; and lastly, as no injury 

 could be likely to ensue from so small a perforation, I should be 

 inclined at some future time to give this a fairer trial in similar 

 circumstances. 



Another thing worth trial at the commencement of this de- 

 plorable disease would be electricity, by passing strong shocks 

 through the painful part; which, whether the pain was owing 

 to the inaction of that part, or of some other membrane asso- 

 ciated with it, might stimulate them into exertion; or into inac- 

 tivity, if owing to fixed painful contraction. 



And lastly, the cold bath, or aspersions with cold water on the 

 affected part, according to the method of Dr. Currie in the Me- 

 moirs of a Med. Soc. London, Vol. III. p. 147, might produce 

 great effect at the commencement of the pain. Nevertheless 

 opium duly administered, so as to precede the expected paroxysm, 

 and in such doses, given by degrees, as to induce intoxication, 

 is principally to be depended upon in this deplorable malady. 

 To which should be added, that if venesection can be previously 

 performed, even to but few ounces, the effect of the opium is 

 much more certain; and still more so, if there be time to pre- 

 mise a brisk cathartic, or even an emetic. The effect of increased 



