Tes iatrikes kartos, or, A treatise de morborum capitis essentiis & pronosticis adorned with above three hundred choice and rare observations ... / by Robert Bayfield ...

CAP. XXXIV. De Catalepsi, seu Catoche.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 seu Congelatio, A Con∣gelation, is a sudden surprizal of all the senses, the motion, and the minde, with the which those that are seized upon, and invaded, remain and abide stiff, in the very same state and posture in which they they were taken and surprized, with their eyes open and immoveable, Catalepsis sic dicta est 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quòd aeger eodem statu permaneat, quo prehenditur.

They that are taken with this malady are in great hazard of life; wherefore present remedy must be sought for: If it be a strong Catalepsis, it will hardly or never be cured. Congelatio levis sanatur, & praesertim in puero, & in juvene. In sene vero semper habet difficultatem.

Galen mentioneth a story of a school-fellow of his, who when he had wearied himself with long studie, fell into a Catalepsis or Congelation; he lay (saith he) like a log all along, not to be bent, stiffe, and stretched out, and seemed to behold us with his eyes, but spake not a word: And he said, that he heard us what we said at that time, although not evidently and plainly, and told us some things that he remembred, and said, all that stood by him were seen of him, and could remember and declare some of their ge∣stures

at that time, but could not then speak, or move one part of his body.

Cardanus reports of eight Mowers, which sup∣ping under an Oak were struck with thunder, so as they kept the same shape of body, the one seeming to eat, the other to lay hold of the pot, another to drink, when they were all dead.

Fernelius relates two stories, which are these; one while he being very studious and writing was so suddenly struck with a Congelation, that sit∣ting and holding his pen, with his eyes open, and looking upon his Book, you would have thought he had been hard at study, till he was by calling, and jogging, found to want all sense and motion.

Another I saw like a dead man, lying along, with neither seeing, hearing, nor feeling when he was pinched; but he breathed freely, and whatsoever was put into his mouth he presently swallowed; if he were taken out of his bed, he did stand alone, but being thrust he would fall down; and which way soever his arm, hand, or leg was set, there it stood fixed, and firm; you would have taken him for a Ghost, or some rare Sta∣tue.

A certain noble woman, taken with a conti∣nual Fever, called Synochus, had in the nineteenth day a Congelation, which was cured by a large flux of blood from her Nose.

Plura de Catalepsi, seu Catoche, vide in meo En∣chiridio Medico, lib. 1. cap. 12.