SECT. XXXIV. i. DISEASES OF VOLITION. 4.^5 



unlefs they had been foon diminifhed or removed 

 by the univerfal convulfion of the voluntary moti- 

 ons, or by temporary rnadnefs. 



In fome of the unfortunate patients I have ob- 

 ferved, the pain has rifen to an inexpreflible degree, 

 as above defcribed, before the convulfions have fu- 

 pervened ; and which were preceded by fcreaming, 

 and grinning j in others, a$ in the common epilepfy, 

 the convulfion has immediately fucceeded the com- 

 mencement of the difagreeable fenfations ; and as 

 a ftupor frequently fucceeds the convulficns, they 

 only feemed to remember that a pain at the ftomach 

 preceded the fit, or fome other uneafy feel ; or 

 more frequently retained no memory at all of the 

 immediate caufe of the paroxyfni. But even in this 

 kind of epilepfy, where the patient does not recol- 

 lect any preceding pain, the paroxyfms generally are 

 preceded by a quivering motion of the under jaw, 

 with a biting of the tongue; the teeth afterwards 

 become prefled together with vehemence, and the 

 eyes are then convulfed, before the commencement 

 of the univerfal convulfion ; which are all efforts to 

 relieve pain. 



The reafon why thefe convulfive motions are al- 

 ternately exerted and remitted, was mentioned above, 

 and in Se&. XII. j. 3. when the exertions are fuch 

 as give a temporary relief to the pain, which ex- 

 cites them, they ceafe for a time, till the pain is 

 again perceived; and then new exertions are pro- 

 duced for its relief. We fee daily examples of this 

 in the loud reiterated laughter of fome people ; the 

 pleafurable fenfation, which excites this laughter, 

 arifes for a time fo high as to change its name and 

 become painful : the convulfive motions of the re- 

 fpiratory mufcles relieve the pain for a time ; we 

 are, however, unwilling to lofe the pleafure, and 

 prefently put a flop to this exertion, and immedi- 

 ately the pleafure recurs, and again as inftantly rifes 



into 



