Theses de epilepsia

THESIS I.

Large ornamental drop cap 'A' at the beginning of the first paragraph.

The affection of which we are about to treat has obtained various appellations. For it is called Epilepsia, the sacred disease, Deific, great, greater, Herculean, Lunatic, Comitial, the falling sickness, and sontic. Hippocrates also called it παιδικὸν πάθος [the children’s suffering]. By some it has even been named Elephantiasis. These appellations are for the most part taken from the symptoms, or from the subjects, or from the magnitude of the disease.

II.

Furthermore, the name Epilepsy signifies two things: the disease, or the cause; and the symptom, or the effect.

III.

Therefore, insofar as it denotes the disease, it is said to be an affection contrary to nature of the ventricles of the brain, in which, on account of a biting matter or one otherwise endowed with a hostile quality, the brain is forced to its expulsion, following which ensues an impairment of the mind and senses, together with an interrupted convulsion of the whole body.

IIII.

Moreover, insofar as it signifies a symptom, we say it is an interrupted convulsion of the whole body, with impairment of the mind and senses, on account of an affection of the ventricles of the brain, forcing them to the expulsion of a harmful thing.

V.

Furthermore, Epilepsy occurs at times κατ’ ἰδιοπάθειαν [by idiopathy], at other times κατὰ συμπάθειαν [by sympathy]: whence two species of it are rightly numbered by Galen and other physicians.

VI.

One is when it is produced with the brain being primarily and of itself affected. The other, when it occurs from the stomach, or from the consensus of any other part.

VII.

The causes of this affection are some latent within the body, others occurring from without.