An Account of the Diseases which were most frequent in the British military hospitals in Germany

OF THE EPILEPSY.

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The Epilepsy, or Falling Sickness, attacked a Number of Men, from the severe Duty of long Marches in hot Weather, and afterwards lying out on the cold Ground, exposed to the Damps of the Night[98].

It was very seldom that Men were cured of this Disorder in the military Hospitals. We had some few Instances, indeed, where Relief seemed to be obtained by Rest, a regular Diet, gentle Evacuations, and Issues[99]; but even those Men generally relapsed as soon as they were sent to their Regiments, and began to do Duty. All who had these Fits after being some Time with their Regiments, were at last discharged, and sent home. However, before Men are discharged for Fits, they should be watched very narrowly for some Time; for there is no Disorder which Soldiers are more apt to counterfeit than this.

It is no Wonder that Soldiers, during the Time of Service, should seldom be cured of these Fits; for in Adults it is not often cured even in private Practice, with all the Conveniencies and Advantages to be wished for; and generally the few that do get well, require a considerable Length of Time to accomplish the Cure; and we find from daily Experience, as well as from examining the Records of Medicine, that the Cures that have been made, have mostly been performed either by a Change of Air, such as going from a cold to a hot Climate[100], by some remarkable Change of Life[101], or some accidental Disorder;[102] or by Issues or Drains[103]; or by the Removal of some acrid or irritating Substance, or such like[104]; or by preventing the Cause[105]; and that those Medicines called Specifics have in general had but little Share in the Cure.

FOOTNOTES:

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · I saw above twenty Men, while I was in Germany, who attributed the Epileptic Fits they were attacked with to these Causes, and said they had Note 2 · William Wilson, a Boy fourteen Years of Age, was admitted into St. George’s Hospital, Sept. 20, 1758, for Epileptic Fits, which he had been Note 3 · Hippocrates lays the chief Stress of the Cure upon Change of Air, Aphor. 4, 5, sect. ii. The Baron Van Swieten says, he has known a great Nu Note 4 · Celsus has long ago observed, that the Appearance of the Menses in Girls, and of Puberty in Boys, often removes this Disorder, lib. iii. cap Note 5 · William Glen, a Patient in the Royal Infirmary at Edinburgh in September 1747, was freed from Epileptic Fits, which used to return ten or tw Note 6 · There are numerous Instances of the good Effects of Issues and Drains in diverse Authors. Tulpius, Van Swieten, &c.Note 7 · La Motte gives one Instance of a Person being cured of the Epilepsy by voiding five Stones, Chirurg. vol. II. p. 20; and of another who died Note 8 · Galen, tells us, of his having prevented the Epileptic Fits in a Boy, who used to have one whenever he was hungry, by making him carry Bread