(seq. 341)

332

Materia Medica

Stimulants

consequence of debility, but he is certainly mistaken. I think that
a plethoric state of the system does sometimes produce it, it is often
cured by a turgescence of the vessels of the brain, and opium must
be improper, but it often arises from an irritation of the nerves,
when our medicine is verry usefull and particularly when the
disease is periodical, the frequent use of it however must increase
the turgessence of the vessels of the brain. Dr Cullen found it
usefull depending on an acute epilepsy, this is so called from
its sensation which is like that of cold air or cold water applied
to the part, the patient feels on the top of the head or foot a circumscribed
coldness about the size of a dime, this rapidly travels to the head, it
often originates in pain like the sting of an insect. I think that
the aura Epileptica is the same or verry near to the aura arthritica,
in many cases a tournaquet or any bandage applied to the limb,
will prevent the coldness, from reacting to the head, opium is a very
powerfull means of preventing this return, many cases of Epilepsy
come on during sleep, these are sometimes ended by giving opium before
going to bed, the reason of the coming on at night appear to be from
a horizontal position determining the blood to the head and
thereby producing a turgessence of the vessels of the part, and to this the