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

CAP. XXXV. De Epilepsia.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The Epilepsie, is a Cessation of the animal and principal actions, together with a convulsive motion of the whole body, arising from a sharp matter, which by a peculiar and pro∣per power and quality it hath, that is hurtful and prejudicial to the b••ain, vellicating and pulling the Nerves where they begin, streightning, and as it were binding them fast together, and irrita∣ting them unto expulsion. Vel si brevius defini∣re velis: Epilepsia est convulsio omnium corporis partium non perpetua, cum mentis ac sensuum lae∣sione. It is likewise called the Puerile, or childish disease, the Herculean, the Comitial disease, (or the Falling-sickness) the Lunatick, Divine, Son∣tick, or noysome and hurtful, and lastly, Caducus, or the Falling evil.

As to the Prognostick; An Epilepsie is a mala∣dy of long continuance, and very stubborn and deadly in Infants, especially if it grievously afflict them. An Epilepsie à melancholico humore ori∣unda, turns sometimes into madness, when the hu∣mour is sent from the ventricles of the Brain, in∣to the substance thereof. Quo magis aeger ab ore spumat, eo morbus difficilior, & periculosior. If upon the use of Sternutatories the sick party cannot be made to sneez, whilst he is in a most

grievous Paroxysm, its a thousand to one but he dies in that fit. Epilepsia haereditaria incurabilis est; but that which comes from external causes, and evil diet, is curable: as also, that which hap∣peneth by consent of some inferiour part. A strong Epilepsie often killeth the Patient in the Fit, vel in apoplexiam degenerat. Si mulier praeg∣nans morbo Comitiali corriptur, per foetus emissio∣nem liberatur. But the child of such a woman, for the most part, dies of an Epilepsie: A quar∣tan Ague coming upon an Epilepsie, and conti∣nuing long cureth it, by reason the matter of the disease is by degrees consumed by the heat of the Fever, if it be of flegm.

A certain Gentlewoman long labouring of a Scorbutick Epilepsie, was thus helped: ℞ Pil∣lularum cochiarum, foetidarum, aelephanginae, a∣na, ℈ i. Agarici Troch. ℈. ss. Castorei, gr. vi. cum syrupo de staechade, q. s. f. pil. num. 7. She took three of them at night at going to bed, and four in the morning: Next, the following sneezing powder was used. ℞ Nucis moschatae, rad. poeo∣niae, ana, ʒ. ss. Hellebori nigri, ℈. ss. pyrethri, pi∣peris albi, ana, ℈. ss. Misce, & fiat pulvis, a small portion of which was blown into the nostrils: Whilst the time of the fits (which commonly lasted ten hours) was expected, there was given every morning, ʒ ii. of this Opiate.

℞ Conservae betonicae, specierum dianthos, ana, ℥ i. conservae cochleariae, ℥ i. ss. Mithridatii antiqui,

theriacae venetae, ana, ʒ i. visci quercini, cornu cer∣vini, sem. paeoniae, cranii humani pulveriz. ana, ℈ iv. misce. It is to be taken of it self, or with Betony water, to which is added, Oil of Vitriol; by these she was fully delivered from her fits for many years.

Another Gentlewoman was vexed many years with an hysterical Epilepsie; she tried many re∣medies, prescribed by many Physicians, but all in vain. At last, by the advice of a woman, she took the flesh of a Wolf reduced to pouder, and wore a piece of the said flesh salted always about her; after which, she was perfectly freed from the aforesaid disease.

A certain Gentleman, twenty years of age, troubled with the Falling-sickness, by consent from the stomack; as also with a depravation of both sense and motion of the ring and middle fingers of the right hand, was helped chiefly by the following prescriptions: ℞ Pilularum foeti∣darum, ℈ ii. pil. sine quibus ʒ i. castorei, ʒ i. aq. borag. q. s. f. pil. num. 10. These exhibited on the fifth of June, gave five large stools; at the conclusion of its working, the sense and motion of the fingers returned. Next, at bed-ime was given, pil. succin. num. iii. The day following, being the seventh, he had three stools: In the very instant of the fit the following Fume was used: ℞ Mummiae, benzoin. picis nigr. ana, ℈ i. misce cum succo rutae, f. suffit. The eight day the

following was prescribed, ℞ Castorei, assae foetidae, ana, ʒ. ss. rad. poeoniae, subtilis. pulv. ʒ. i. aro∣mat. rosat. ʒ. ii. misce cum syrupo de mentha, f. pil num. 7. He took one of them, although ve∣ry large, when he entered his bed. Every morn∣ing before the use of an Opiat, prepared against Melancholy, this sneezing pouder was used: ℞ Rad. poeoniae, pyrethri, ana, ʒ. ii. Hellebori ni∣gri, ℈. ss. f. pulvis subtilissimus: By these means he was cured in a very short time.

Forestus seni Epilepsia laboranti tria corticis Hellebori nigri praeparati grana in una pilularum dosi foelici successu dedit, sicuti observare potes in lib. x. De morbis cerebri, observ. 54. De Epileptico sexagenario.

Dominus Crask, Norvicensis, adhuc adolescens gravissima laborabat Epilepsia, sed observatione hujus sequentis methodi à paroxysmo per multos an∣nos fuit immunis.

℞ Corallii rubri, sem. poeoniae maris, excort. ana, ʒ. ss. pulveris cranii humani, ʒ i. misce & fiat pul∣vis. Of this take as much as will lye on a three-penny piece, twice in a week, or oftner, if he be sensible of the least distemper, in a little black Cherry-water. Sometimes he purged gently with one Pill of Cochiae Mesuae, which usually gave him two or three stools; he also wore continu∣ally about him a piece of the hoof of an Elk, which indeed is famous for its specifical vertue against the Falling-sickness. Moreover, he hath

had an Issue on his left arm these many years, which without doubt doth help very much to preserve him from the Epilepsie.

Praeterea Excellentissimum invenies remedium contra Epilepsiam, in mea schola Physica, Med. 212. quo multi ab ea curati fuerunt.

A Girl, ten yeers of age, of a Phlegmatick constitution, was troubled five or six months with the Falling-sickness, and also a privation of motion and sense in her right arm: Within twen∣ty days she was perfectly cured, chiefly by the use of this following Opiate.

℞ Radic. poeoniae maris, stoechad, costi, ana, ʒ x. Agaraci, ℥ v. pyrethri, sem. anisi, assae foetidae, & aristolochiae rotundae, ana, ʒ ii. ss. succi scyllae, & mellis electi, ana, lb i. ℥ ii. Coquantur simul scyl∣la & mellento igne, usque ad bonam consistentiam, deinde superadditis speciebus, fiat Electuarium: The dose was, two drachms every morning, two hours before meat.

Multos curavi infantes ab Epilepsia solo usu hu∣jus armillae, & ecligmatis descripti in meo Enchiri∣dio Medico, lib. 1. cap. 5. p 9.

A little child, six months old, afflicted with the Falling sickness by consent, was thus freed; in the fit there was applied, with a spunge, to the nostrils the juyce of Rue mixt with white Wine Vine∣gar; by the use of which it was presently re∣covered; and falling into the fit again, it was removed in the same manner: To the Region

of the heart was applyed the following: ℞ The∣riacae venetae, ʒ ii. radic. poeoniae pulveriz. ʒ. ss. misce. The hair was poudered cum pulvere rad. poeoniae, collectae luna decrescente; and thus the child was delivered from all its fits.

A Boy, three years old, had a fit of the Fal∣ling-sickness, from which he was freed with the smoak of Tobacco; which a servant drew out of a Pipe, aad blew into the open mouth of the boy; the boy fell a vomiting, and the fit ceased.

Robert Woodwork was exceedingly troubled with the Epilepsie even from his infancy, and be∣ing by chance at a neighbours house, he fell in∣to a fit, and vomited there; a little dog being in the room licked up the vomit, fell mad, and died; and the young man never had a fit since: A thing wondrous strange, it being five or six yeers since this happened.

Forestus, libro decimo de cerebri morbis, observ. 60. pag. 392. Excellentissimum contra Epilepsi∣am habet Electuarium, in quo, duas pulveris hirun∣dinis in furno exsiccati drachmas praescribit. Pul∣vis etiam in capite de mania descriptus, contra mor∣bum comitialem maximè potens est.

A maid, that had the Falling sickness, was cu∣red by the use of Oxycratum, a draught where∣of she took every morning, and before the fit she drank pure Vinegar: The disease being cu∣red, she was taken with pains of her limbs, which were cured by the use of hot Baths.