Diseases > Domestic medicine

426 buchan’s
is pale; the extremities are cold; and the patient
often feels, as it were, a stream of cold air ascending
towards his head.
In the fit, the patient generally makes an unusual
noise; his thumbs are drawn in towards the palms
of the hands ; his eyes are distorted ; he starts, and
foams at the mouth; his extremities are bent or
twisted various ways ; he often discharges his seed,
urine, and faeces involuntarily; and is quite destitute
of all sense and reason. After the fit is over, his
senses gradually return, and he complains of a kind
of stupor, weariness, and pain of his head; but has
no remembrance of what happened during the fit.
The fits are sometimes excited by violent affections
of the mind, a debauch of liquor, excessive heat, cold,
or the like.
This disease, from the difficulty of investigating
its causes, and its strange symptoms, was formerly
attributed to the wrath of the gods, or the agency of
evil spirits. In modern times it has often, by the
vulgar, been imputed to witchcraft or fascination.
It depends however as much upon natural causes as
any other malady; and its cure may often be effected
by persisting in the use of proper means.
Regimen.—Epileptic patients ought, if possible,
to breathe a pure and free air. Their diet should be
light but nourishing. They ought to drink nothing
strong, to avoid swine’s flesh, water-fowl, and like¬
wise all windy and oily vegetables, as cabbage, nuts,
&c. They ought to keep themselves cheerful, care¬
fully guarding against all violent passions, as anger,
fear, excessive joy, and the like.
Exercise is likewise of great use; but the patient
must be careful to avoid all extremes either of heat
or cold, all dangerous situations, as standing upon
precipices, riding, deep waters, and such like.