Epilepsy : in what class of cases, and under what circumstances, may we reasonably hope for cure in epilepsy? / by William Camps.

  • Camps, William.
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Epilepsy : in what class of cases, and under what circumstances, may we reasonably hope for cure in epilepsy? / by William Camps. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Subsequent to the time of Galen, many physicians have recorded numerous observations of this disease as produced by a similar cause, that is, more or less derangement of the healthy functions of the stomach. Valleriola, a celebrated physician of the sixteenth century, practising at Avignon, relates an instance of a female patient in whom derangement of the healthy functions of the stomach caused attacks of epilepsy of the most violent description. In the medical consultations of rernel, a case is recorded of a young woman, twenty-three years of age, attacked with epi- lepsy, which evidently depended upon some derangement of the proper functions of the stomach as the exciting cause of the paroxysms. Forrestus, too, relates a similar observation in regard to one of his patients. In the collection of medical cases and observations of Theophilus Bonnet, is a record of a male patient, thirty years of age, in whom the disease was produced from a similar cause or causes; and Dr. Woodward, a physician of our own country, in his select cases in physic, has related the case of a surgeon, subject to attacks of epilepsy, and who, at the conclusion of each paroxysm, suffered very violent pains in the stomach, attended with copious vomitings of acid, frothy bile; and who, moreover, whenever these vomitings did not take place, was seized with a second paroxysm of the disease, as violent as the first. In fact, there are individuals in whom, the superior, the cardiac orifice of the stomach is so acutely sen- sitive, that the very slightest cause of irritation may suffice to produce attacks of paroxysms of this disease. I think it may be affirmed, that, next in order after the stomach, the intestines, small and large, are the most frequent seat of the causes of symptomatic or sympathetic epilepsy, and this, more especially, in cases where the disease affects children under ten or twelve years of age. Not to speak just now em- phatically of the existence of parasitic animals, such as worms, in the intestines, a well-knowm and long recognised exciting cause of symptomatic or sympathetic epilepsy, the continued presence of others, and, it may be, of less irritating matters lodged in the intestines, not unfrequently give rise to attacks or paroxysms of this disease; and these matters, less irritating than worms, may be almost, if not entirely, attributable to im- j>roper, irregular diet, or the allowed indulgence in the frequent, daily use of unwholesome sweetmeats, or other articles of in- digestible trash—mis-called food. The luesence of these and similar matters in the intestines, operate prejudicially in two respects; in the first place, the ]uoper healthy nutrition of the body not being adequately performed, the nervous system throughout the bodily frame becomes relaxed, weakened, and wanting in tone; and, in the second place, these offensive
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