EPILEPSY

(Gr. epilépsi a, literally, a seizure), a neryous disease, the falling-sickne , so called because the patient falls suddenly to the ground. It depends on various causes, often exceedingly complicated and incapable of being removed; hence it is often an incurable periodical disease, ap poonine in single paroxysms. In its fully developed form, convulsions, attended by complete unconsciousne , are the prominent feature. Among the different causes may be mentioned intense emotional disturbance in early childhood, injury to the brain or its coverings at birth or subsequently, or some irritation within the skull itself, such as tumours, ., developing later in life. Hpileptiform fits due to the last-mentioned cause differ from those of true epilepsy, and are known as Jackson i an epilepsy (cf. Sir W. K. Gowers, The Borderland of Epilepsy). It is, for the most part, preceded by a tingling sensation, creeping up from the foot or hand to the breast and head, or some other premonitory symptom such as spectral illusions, headache, giddine , confusion oi thought, sense of fear, .; but sometimes there are no precursive symptoms. During the paroxysm all that is to be attended to is to prevent the patient from injuring himself; and this is to be accomplished by raising the head gently and loosening all tight parts of the dre . It is advisable to protect the tongue from being bitten by introducing a piece of india rubber, cork, or soft wood between the teeth.