The London practice of physick, or, The whole practical part of Physick contained in the works of Dr. Willis faithfully made English, and printed together for the publick good.

CHAP. V. Of Convulsive motions arising from the Liquour ly∣ing in the Nervous Bodys, and irritating all their Processes into Convulsions.

IT is obvious almost to daily experience, that Convulsive affects ren through the whole Genus Nervosum, and infest sometimes these parts, sometimes others, sometimes many together: For in some we may observe that the Tendons of the Muscles every where leap, and are drawn with Convulsions; in others that all the outward Members are in many places bent or extended this way, and that, with various flexions and contorsions: We see some forc't by a masterless and ungovern'd impetus of the Spi∣rits, sometimes being struck as it were with a rage, to run or leap, sometimes strongly to belabour the earth, or any thing that comes in their way with their Fists, which unless they did, they would fall presently into Swoonings and horrible Faint∣ing Fits. It would be too tedious to enumerate all cases of those general Convulsions passing through the whole Genus Nervosum: But such like Symptoms, though various and manifold, may in some sort be reduc't to three chief heads, viz. as they chiefly depend on three sorts of causes: For since in these Convulfions passing from place to place, we ought to suppose the whole Ner∣vous Liquour to be vitiated, and the Animal Spirits, every where abounding in it, to be adulterated, and consequently to be al∣most continually exploded: We may observe that that taint for the most part is communicated both to the Nervous Juice, and the Spirits every where accompanying it, by one or the other of these three ways; viz. First, Either from Poyson or Witchcraft; Secondly, from a malignant or ill-determin'd Fever, viz. in which the Morbifick matter is discharg'd on the Brain, or Genus Ner∣vosum; Or Thirdly, When the Nervous Liquour in long process

of time, by reason of a Scorbutick or otherwise vitiated affect, degenerates from its due Crasis into a sharp, acid, or otherwise Preternatural and Convulsive Liquour. We shall here consider of each of these cases, and first of Convulsive Fits, which are product from Poyson or Witchcraft.

First therefore, That some Poysons act on the Nervous Li∣quour rather than on the Blood, and depraving it, cause chiefly Convulsive affects, it plainly appears from eating of Cicutaria Apium risus, deadly Nightshade, the wild Carrot, and other offensive Herbs, which is wont to be followed in a short time after with horrible Contractions of the Stomack, a Numness, Delirium, and Twitchings and Convulsions in the whole Body of the tendons: Moreover those kinds of Convul∣sive affects ensue in such as are bitten by a mad Dog, and other Venemous wild Beasts when the Virulent Miasm receiv'd by the Nervous Juice, having lay n hid in it a long time, at length exerts it self, and infects and poysons with its ferment the whole Mass of the Liquour in which it is involv'd: And this is more clearly manifested by the wonderful Symptoms, viz. the pain∣ful Convulsions, and continual Dancing which are affirm'd by Authors of Credit to ensue upon the bite of a Tarantula: Which doubtless happen, because upon the bite of that Animal, some Ve∣nemous Miasms are convey'd into the Body of Man, which ne∣vertheless being little injurious to the Blood and vital Spirit, assoon as they have past from it into the Nervous Liquour, pre∣sently spread themselves like a Ferment, through its whole Mass, and infect the Animal Spirits, every where abounding in it; so that they being forc't apart from one another, and driven hi∣ther and thither in a disorderly manner, cause Convulsive affects, which sometimes are accompanyed with a Contraction of the containing parts, sometimes with a languor and resolution of them.

If it be asked why the painful Convulsions which are rais'd by the bite of a Tarantula, being presently appeas'd by Musick, are wont to be chang'd into a Dancing, I answer, that the Ve∣nom communicated to the Nervous Juice by the bite of a Taran∣tula is more mild than to be able wholly to extinguish the Ani∣mal Spirits, or altogether to dissipate and force them to very vio∣lent explosions, being driven into divers parts; but can only put them to flight, and being driven hither and thither, egg them to slght, and in a manner only pain-causing Convulsions: Now Musick by its gently soothing Nature, readily gathers together in one, and mutually associates the Spirits so dissipated: Where∣fore when the said Spirits, by reason of Virulent Miasms sticking to them, are continually prone to Involuntary and Convulsive

motions, the Melody disposes and directs them, being allur'd together, into such Convulsions, that entring the Bodys of the Nerves in a certain feries and order, they are carryed in certain limited I racts as it were, till at length the Particles of the Venom being wholly evaporated, and the fury and impetus of the Spirits wearyed, they have wholly shaken off that rage: And indeed Musick readily forces sound and sober Men, even against their wills, or thinking of other things, to actions emulating the Tune heard; so that a Piper no sooner begins his Lesson, but the standers by begin to move their Hands and Feet: We need not wonder therefore in Men bitten by a Tarantula, where the Ani∣mal Spirits being stimulated to motion as it were, are forc't to skip and wander from one place to anothe of themselves, if up∣on playing on a Harp, they are put upon Dancing, and observ∣ing of regular motions.

To this is a kin the Evil, which is call'd the Dance of S. Vitus, concerning which Horstius relates, that he spake with certain Women, who visit yearly the Chappel of S. Vitus, which is within the Precincts of Ʋlmes, and there exercise themselves so long in Dancing day and night, with a Perturbation of mind, till they fall on the Ground like Persons in an extasy: By which means they seem to be restor'd to themselves, so that they feel little or nothing for a whole year, till the time of May following. and then they declare themselves tormented with such a rest∣lessness of their Members, that they are forc't to betake them∣selves again about the Feast of S. Vitus to the foresaid place, to renew their Dancing.

Indeed it is a usual thing (as I have often observ'd) both for Men and Women to be infested with such a restlessness, and cer∣tain rage as it were of the Members, that they are forc't to walk till they are a weary, and also to dance and run up and down, by this means to avoid greater Disturbances and Swoonings, which would otherwise seize them: The reason of which seems to be, that the Animal Spirits, because stimulated in the whole Genus Nervosum from a Heterogeneous Combination, become wholly in a rage and ungovernable, which therefore ought to be so exercis'd and wearied, both that they themselves may be mastered, and that the Heterogeneous Combination may be shaken off.

That Convulsive affects are sometimes caus'd by Witchcraft, it is both vulgarly believ'd, and every where affirm'd by many Authors that deserve Credit: And to grant that wonderful affects are often produc't in the Body of Men by tricks of the Devil, viz. in as much as by the wonderful subtlety in operating, in which he excels, he insinuates Atoms or Heterogeneous Cor∣puscles

into the sensitive Soul, or the Texture of the Animal Spirits, and so sometimes stimulates its Functions, sometimes binds them, sometimes violently perverts them: Nay and far∣ther in some manner he enters the Body of Man himself, and be∣ing as another Soul of a more powerful Nature, is co-extended to it, actuats all the parts and members, inspires them with an unwonted Vigour, and governs them at his pleasure, and stirs them up to the performance of wonderful and supernatural acti∣ons: Grant this I say, yet all kinds of Convulsions which appear prodigious, as being besides the common course of this Disease, ought not presently to be imputed to inchantments of Witches, or tricks of the Devil, for often, though appearing strange, they proceed from meer natural causes, and stand in need of no other Exorcisms for a Cure, than Remedies which are wont to be pre∣scrib'd against Convulsive affects: In truth the Animal Spirits when indued with a very great explosive Combination, and dis∣charg'd together by it, exert so much of strength and vigour above their proper and wonted force, as a flash of Gun-powder above the burning of a common flame, so that such, who, being obnoxious to this Disease, may when they are out of the Fit be govern'd, carryed, and led at pleasure by the guidance of one Man, when the Fit comes upon them, are not to be manag'd by the greatest strength and endeavours of four or more robust Persons: But if when any Person is distempered there be a suspi∣cion of Witchcraft or Fascination, there are chiefly two kinds of motion which are wont to create and maintain it; viz. First, If the Patient uses such Contorsions and Gesticulations of the Members, or of the whole Body, which no sound Man, even a Mimick, or any Tumbler, is wont to imitate; And secondly, if he exerts a strength, which exceeds all humane force, to which if there be joyn'd excretions of monstrous things, as when heaps of Pins are cast up by Vomit, or living Animals are voided by seige, it comes to be without dispute that the Devil has, and acts his part in this Tragedy.