ISAAC G. BRIGGS

A.R.S.I.

METHUEN & CO. LTD. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON

First Published in 1921

TO ALBERT E. WOODRUFF OF STOKE PRIOR NR. BROMSGROVE MY OLD SCHOOLMASTER

CONTENTS

CHAPTERPAGE

PREFACEix

I.MAJOR AND MINOR EPILEPSY1

II.RARER TYPES OF EPILEPSY7

III.GENERAL REMARKS15

IV.CAUSES OF EPILEPSY20

V.PREVENTION OF ATTACKS25

VI.FIRST-AID TO VICTIMS28

VII.NEURASTHENIA30

VIII.HYSTERIA39

IX.ADVICE TO NEUROPATHS46

X.FIRST STEPS TOWARD HEALTH53

XI.DIGESTION56

XII.INDIGESTION60

XIII.DIETING63

XIV.CONSTIPATION67

XV.GENERAL HYGIENE71

XVI.SLEEPLESSNESS76

XVII.THE EFFECTS OF IMAGINATION79

XVIII.SUGGESTION TREATMENT82

XIX.MEDICINES86

XX.PATENT MEDICINES 90

XXI.TRAINING THE NERVOUS CHILD98

XXII.DANGERS AT AND AFTER PUBERTY109

XXIII.WORK AND PLAY115

XXIV.HEREDITY118

XXV.CHARACTER123

XXVI.MARRIAGE131

XXVII.SUMMARY140

BIBLIOGRAPHY142

INDEX145

PREFACE

I hope this book will meet a real need, for when one considers how prevalent epilepsy, hysteria and neurasthenia are, among all ranks and ages of both sexes, it seems remarkable some such popular book was not written long ago.

I add nothing to our knowledge of these ills, my object being to put what we know into simple words, and to insist on the necessity for personal discipline being allied to expert aid. The book aims at helping, not ousting, the doctor, who may find it of use in getting his patient to see—and to act on—the obvious.

"Nervous Disease", as here used, includes only the three diseases treated of; "Neuropath"—victims of them.

"Advice" to a neuropath is usually a very depressing decalogue of "Thou Shalt Nots!" If it be made clear why he must not do so-and-so, the patient endeavours to obey; peremptorily ordered to obey, he rebels. Much sound advice is wasted for lack of an interesting, convincing, "Reason Why!" which would ensure the hearty and very helpful co-operation of a patient who had been taught that writing prescriptions is not the limit of a doctor's activities.

Many folk, with touching belief in his own claims, regard the quack as a hoary-headed sage, who from disinterested motives devotes his life to curing ailments, by methods of which he alone has the secret, at low fees. To fight this dangerous idea I have tried to show in an interesting way how science deals with nerve ills, and to prove that qualified aid is needed. Suggestions and criticisms will be welcomed.

I. G. BRIGGS

THE UNIVERSITY,

BIRMINGHAM,

June, 1921

"Lette than clerkes enditen in Latin, for they have the propertie of science, and the knowing in that facultie: and lette Frenchmen in their Frenche also enditen their queinte termes, for it is kyndely to their mouthes; and let us showe our fantasies in soche wordes as we lerneden of our dames tongue."

—Chaucer.