Epilepsy : its symptoms, treatment, and relation to other chronic convulsive diseases / by J. Russell Reynolds.

  • Reynolds J. Russell (John Russell), Sir, 1828-1896.
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Epilepsy : its symptoms, treatment, and relation to other chronic convulsive diseases / by J. Russell Reynolds. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    in those animals in which they are brought about by lesion of the spinal cord. The term irritation has been used in the preceding para- graphs because it is one the general meaning of which is readily understood, but it must be freed from certain possi- bilities of misinterpretation. It is not to be thought that this kind of irritation bears any definite or constant relation to pain. On the contrary, it is most frequently observed that the irritants which induce con- vulsion are accompanied by little suffering; and further, that the individuals in whom convulsions occur, from such eccentric causes, often bear very severe pain without such residts. Thus, an individual in whom convulsions are the frequent result of painless indigestion, may have a tooth extracted without suffering a fit; and the child whose attacks have been caused by dentition, the -distress from which is only evinced by occasional fretting, may feel so much pain at the lancing of its gums as to scream violently, and yet no paroxysm follows. Again, the irritation is not necessarily even accompanied by sensation. In M. Brown-Sequard's artificially induced epilepsy of the guinea-pig, mere contact, or blowing on the surface of a certain portion of the neck, was sufficient to induce attacks ; whereas the most violent irritation of the leg which was in a state of hyperassthesia was not followed by the paroxysm.* M. Brown-Sequard argues, and with conclusive- ness, that fits are caused by a peculiar and imfelt kind of irritation;t and that this may or may not co-exist with the feeKng of pain, cramp, formication, &c. The eccentric irritation may be due to some foreign body brought in contact with the afferent nerves, such as ascarides, indigesta, &c., or it may be the result of disease originating in any part of the body. C. The particular organic condition upon which convulsions depend, may be part of a systemic or general disease, or morbid tendency. In such cases the nervous centres are involved with other organs and tissues in a general nutrition-change. To this category belong cases of convulsion associated ynth, * Researches on Epile])Sj', p. 6. f P. 31.
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