SECT. III. 5, MOTIONS OF THE RETINA. 29 



more violent than words can exprefs ; thefe conti- 

 nued near an hour, and were fucceeded with a ca- 

 taleptic fpafm of one arm, with the hand applied to 

 her head ; and after about twenty minutes thefe 

 fpafms ceafed, and a talkative reverie fupervened 

 for near another hour, from which no violence, 

 which it was proper to ufe, could awaken her. 

 Thefe periods of convulfions, firft of the mufcles, 

 and then of the ideas, returned twice a day for fe- 

 veral weeks; and were at length removed by great 

 dofes of opium, after a great variety of other me- 

 dicines and applications had been in vain experi- 

 enced. This lady was fubject to frequent relapfes, 

 once or twice a year for many years, and was as 

 frequently relieved by the fame method. 



Mifs W , an elegant young lady, with 



black eyes and hair, had fometimes a violent pain 

 of her fide, at other times a moft painful ftrangury, 

 which were every day fucceeded by delirium ; 

 which gave a temporary relief to the painful fpafms. 

 After the vain exhibition of variety of medicines 

 and applications by different phyficians, for more 

 than a twelvemonth, me was directed to take fome 

 dofes of opium, which were gradually increafed, by 

 which a drunken delirium was kept up for a day or 

 two, and the pains prevented from returning. A 

 flefh diet, with a little wine or beer, inftead of the 

 low regimen fhe had previoufly ufed, in a few 

 weeks completely eftabliflied her health ; which, 

 except a few relapfes, has continued for many 

 years. 



9. Laflly, as we advance in life all the parts of 

 the body become more rigid, and are rendered lefs 

 fufceptible of new habits of motion, though they 

 retain thofe that were before eftablifhed. This is 

 fenfibly obferved by thofe who apply themfelves 

 late in life to mufic, fencing, or any of the mecha- 

 nic arts. In the fame manner many elderly peo- 



D 2 pic 



