CLASS III. 1.1.7. OF VOLITION. 283 



as in the hyfteric difeafe, and the urine is of a ftraw colour. 

 However it muft be noted, that the difagreeable filiations in 

 hyfteric difeafes fometimes are the caufe of true epileptic con- 

 vulfions, of fyncope, and of madnefs. 



The pain, which occafions fome fits of epilepfy, is felt for a 

 time in a diftant part of the fyftem, as in a toe or heel ; and is 

 faid by the patient gradually to afcend to the head, before the 

 general convulfions commence. This afcending fenfation has 

 been called aura epileptica, and is faid to have been prevented 

 from affeding the head by a tight bandage round the limb. In 

 this malady the pain, probably of fome torpid membrane, or dif- 

 eafed tendon, is at firft only fo great as to induce flight fpafms 

 of the mufcular fibres in its viciuity ; which flight fpafms ceafe 

 on the numbnefs introduced by a tight bandage ; when no band- 

 age is applied, tHb pain gradually increafes, till general convul- 

 fions are exerted to relieve it. The courfe of a lymphatic, as 

 when poifonous matter is abforbed ; or of a nerve, as in the 

 fciatica, may, by the fympathy exifting between their extremi- 

 ties and origins, give an idea of the afcent of an aura or va- 

 pour. 



In difficult parturition it fometimes happens, that general con- 

 vulfions are excited to relieve the pain of labour, inftead of the 

 exertions of thofe mufcles of the abdomen and diaphragm, which 

 ought to forward the exclufion of the child. See Clafs III. I. i. 

 That is, inftead of the particular mufcular adions, which ought to 

 be excited by fenfation to remove theoffending caufe,general con- 

 vulfions are produced by the power of volution, which ftill the 

 pain, as in common epilepfy, without removing the caufe ; and, 

 as the parturition is not thus promoted, the convulfions con- 

 tinue, till the fenforial power is totally exhaufted, that is, till 

 death. In patients afflided with epilepfy from other caufes, 

 I have feen the moft violent convulfions recur frequently dur- 

 ing pregnancy without mifcarriage ; as they did not tend to 

 forward the exclufion of the fetus. 



Pains of this kind have been called falfe pains by fome writers 

 on midwifery, and are directed to be relieved by an opiate, and 

 then they fay the true pains will commence. M. Daventer di- 

 rects the accoucheur to attend to the os tincse, to diftinguifh 

 them from each other, which dilates with every true pain, but 

 contracts with every falfe one, that is, the voluntary actions of 

 other mufcles to relieve pain are attended with thofe of the os 

 uteri, as mentioned in Genus I. of this Clafs and Order prece- 

 ding the defcription of the Species. 



M. M. Venefedion. A large dofe of opium. Delivery. 



The later in life epileptic fits are firft experienced, the more 



dangerous 



