340 DISEASES SECT. XXXIV. 3. i, 



with debility for three or four weeks, with very quick and very 

 feeble pulfe, and other ufual fymptoms of that fpecies of typhus, 

 but at this time complained much and frequently of pain of his 

 legs and feet. When thofe who attended him were nearly in 

 defpair of his recovery, I obferved with pleafure an infanity of 

 mind fupervene : which was totally different from delirium, as 

 he knew his friends, calling them by their names, and the room 

 in which he lay, but became violently fufpicious of his attend- 

 ants, and calumniated with vehement oaths his tender mother, 

 who fat weeping by his bed. On this his pulfe became flower 

 and firmer, but the quicknefs did not for feme time entirely 

 ceafe, and he gradually recovered. In this cafe the introdu&ion 

 of an increafed quantity of the power of volition gave vigour to 

 thofe movements of the fyftem, which are generally only a6lu- 

 ated by the power of irritation, and of aflbciation. 



Another cafe I recoiled of a young man, about twenty-five, 

 who had the fcarlet-fever, with very quick pulfe, and an univer- 

 fal eruption on his Ikin, and was not without reafon efteemed to 

 be in great danger of his life. After a few days an infanity fu- 

 pervened, which his friends miftook for delirium, and he gradu- 

 ally recovered, and the QUticle peeled off. From thefe and a 

 few other cafes I have always efteemed infanity to be a favoura- 

 ble fign in fevers, and have cautioufly diftinguifhed it from de- 

 lirium. 



III. Another mode of mental exertion to relieve pain, is by 

 producing a train of ideas not only by the efforts of volition, as 

 in infanity ; but by thofe of fenfation likewife, as in delirium 

 and fleep. This mental effort is termed reverie, or fomnambula- 

 tion, and is defcribed more at large in Seft. XIX on that iub- 

 jeftr But I (hall here relate another cafe of that wonderful dif- 

 eafe, which fell yefterday under my eye, and to which I have 

 feen many analogous alienations of mind, though not exadtly 

 fimilar in all circumftances. But as all of them either began or 

 terminated with pain or convulfion, there can be no doubt but 

 that they are of epileptic origin, and conftitute another mode of 

 mental exertion to relieve fome painful fenfation. 



i. Mailer A. about nine years old, had been feized at feven 

 every morning for ten days with uncommon fits, and had had 

 flight returns in the afternoon. They were fuppofed to origin- 

 ate from worms, and had been in vain attempted to be removed 

 by vermifuge purges. As his fit was expected at feven yefter- 

 day morning, I faw him before that hour , he was afleep, feemed 

 free from pain, and his pulfe natural. About feven he began 

 to complain of pain about his navel, or more to the left fide, 

 and in a few minutes had exertions of his arms and legs like 



fwimming, 



