EPILEPSY. 215 



The experiments which have been made upon dogs in connection 

 with this disease by Terrier, Eulenberg, Landois, and others are 

 interesting. They found that with great irritation of the motor 

 regions of the large brain (the cerebrum) a complete attack could 

 be produced. This begins with twitching of the muscles which 

 belong to that centre. It then becomes extended over the corre- 

 sponding group of muscles on the other side, producing shocks and 

 twitching of the whole muscular system of the body from tonic 

 and, later, clonic convulsions. The convulsions extend from centre 

 to centre, and they never miss any region, but run consecutively 

 from one to the other. If the chief centre is cut out, the convulsions 

 will not be present in that region during the epileptiform attacks. 

 Irritation of the subcortical white substance of the brain also causes 

 epilepsy. This begins, however, in the muscles of the same side. 

 Bromide of sodium administered for some time has been found very 

 valuable iu preventing epilepsy caused by membranous irritation. 



From the above experiments it can be readily understood that 

 the membranes of the cerebrum are the original centres of epileptic 

 attacks. It is hard to explain, however, the actual cause of this 

 irritation. Epilepsy can hardly be caused by over-stimulation or 

 feeding, for, as a rule, the largest number of true epileptic subjects 

 are weak, delicate, and anaemic; but at the same time we often see 

 vigorous, well-fed dogs of all ages sufEerlng from this disease. 

 There are many cases in ansemic animals which, under treatment, 

 gradually improve, at the same time the epileptiform attacks be- 

 coming less and less as the animal improves. It is doubtful if 

 these cases can be called true epilepsy. 



The translator is inclined to think that quite a number of these 

 cases should be classed under the head of hysteria; in two cases in 

 particular where he advised to have them castrated (ovariotomy), 

 he found in one case a large cyst attached to the ovary, and in the 

 other intense hypersemia of the ovary (the left). After the oper- 

 ation both animals made good recoveries ; one, however, had slight 

 attacks for three months afterward. A third was operated on that 

 had been affected for two years, and the ovaries were found to be 

 hypertrophied and congested. In this case the attacks were 

 lessened, but not entirely cured. 



Clinical Symptoms and Course of the Disease. In acute 

 attacks of epilepsy the symptoms begin suddenly, or they may start 



