house. After explaining to the parents the probable cause of the trouble, they admitted having seen the child picking at the plant during the day.

The treatment in this case was not so energetic as in the first. A calomel purge and morphia gr. 1-16 hypodermatically were sufficient to effect a cure within a few hours.

In conclusion, I wish to state how remarkable it is that there are so few cases of stramonium poisoning recorded, since the plant is so abundant, especially in and near thickly populated settlements, where the inhabitants are more or less ignorant of its character.

The usefulness of large doses of morphia in the treatment of these cases, I think, is worthy of special mention.

Experiments have shown that morphia is not antagonistic to atropine or daturine, although atropine or daturine is to morphia, but in the cases just reported morphia relieved the symptoms of daturine poisoning.

In the second case there seemed to be undoubtedly great benefit derived from morphia as the delirium and hallucinations subsided almost immediately and remained permanently in abeyance.

EPILEPSY; ITS HISTORY, CAUSE AND

TREATMENT.

BY DR. E. L. MEYERS, WILKES-BARRE, PA.

READ DECEMBER 21, 1904.

Epilepsy is a disease that has been known to man and described by him for more than 2,400 years. Reference has been made to this disease in early Greek and Roman literature. Hippocrates, who was born about 460 B. C., described it under the title of "The Sacred Disease," from the idea that Apollo was or pretended to be in epileptic fits just prior to pronouncing his prophesies.

How common epilepsy apparently was among the Romans, and how discriminatingly they observed the different symptoms, is indicated by noting the great number of different titles which they applied to the disease.

They called it morbus major, "the greater disease;" morbus Herculeus, "the strong, the Herculean disease;" morbus convivialis, "the disease of the feast;" morbus caducus, "the falling sickness;" morbus scelestus, "the disease of criminals;" morbus foedis, "the filthy disease;" and thus we might continue to multiply these Roman titles. The French called it "haut mal," "grand mal," the great disease" and "petit mal," "the small disease." The Germans call it "fallsucht."

Especial interest attaches to this subject when we know that men high in the authority of church and state, men of arts and literary genius were afflicted with this malady-Mohammed and St. Paul, and Swedenborg were epileptics. So were Julius Cæsar and Peter the Great, Charles the Fifth and Napoleon, Moliere, Swift and Richelieu, all these were said to have been epileptics-all men of marvellous intellects and indomitable energy.

In referring to his affliction St. Paul says, "There was given to me a thorn in the flesh." There are some authors who attribute Napoleon's defeat at the battle of Waterloo, to repeated attacks of fits during the last day of the battle.

These men were all great men, not because they were epilep

tics, nor were they epileptics because they were great men, but they were great in spite of this horrible disorder.

But this is a disease of no special class, all classes, the high and the low, the rich and the poor, the white and the black, the old and the young, male and female, none are immune, wherever civilization reigns.

And now what has been accomplished for these unfortunates during these many centuries? There is no literature on record to show that any special interest was taken in these cases for more than 2,000 years, not until about the middle of the nineteenth century, 1847, when France took the initiative, and established an institution for the care and treatment of her epileptics and other mental defectives. In 1867, Germany established Bethel Colony, at Berlefeld, in Westphalia. Commencing with but four patients, they have at present close to the 2,000 mark. This is the largest colony for epileptics in the world, and is said to be in every respect a model for other colonies. Switzerland followed by founding a colony in 1884, and two more in 1886. Then England, in 1888, provided for selected cases. In our own country nothing had been done for the improving of the condition of the epileptic up to this time. In 1887, Dr. Frederick Peterson, of New York, visited Bethel Colony in Germany, and an article which was published in the New York Medical Record in April, 1887, set forth the need of a colony in the state of New York, such as he visited in Germany. As a result, an unusual interest in this subject, was awakened throughout the country. Ohio deserves the honor of having founded the first colony for epileptics in this country, in 1890. New York State holds second place, Craig Colony having been founded in 1894. This is the largest and most complete institution of this kind in the country and second only to Bethel Colony, in Germany. Craig Colony, at Sonyea, N. Y., has about 1,000 patients on a space of ground nearly three miles square, and containing 1,895 acres of land.

Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Kansas, and Minnesota have all made provision for their epileptics. In this state, in 1895, a private hospital for epileptics was founded

at Rochester, in Beaver county, by a Lutheran clergyman, and in 1898, another one was founded at Oakburne, Chester county, Pennsylvania. This also is a private institution. In 1902, a bill was passed by the legislature providing for a site for a hospital and colony for epileptics. During the summer of the present year, a site was selected in Chester county. About 300 acres of ground has been purchased with an option on 200 additional acres, making a total of 500 acres. Spratling, of the Craig Colony, believes there ought to be at least one acre for each patient living in the colony. Peterson estimates that there are in the United States, between 140,000 to 150,000 epileptics or one to every 500 population. If this estimate can be relied upon, for even approximate figures, the state of Pennsylvania would hold within its boundaries more than 10,000 epileptics.

In considering the aetiology of this strange affliction, we may group the causes under two heads. Ist. Predisposing, or hereditary, and 2nd, exciting.

Under the head of predisposing causes are found insanity and all the allied nerve disorders-alcoholism, tuberculosis, syphilis, rheumatism, scrofulosis, rickets.

Epilepsy may be transmitted either directly from parent to child or indirectly, i. e., collaterally. That is, a man may have epilepsy, but his children may be entirely free from any such disorder. His brothers and sisters not having epilepsy themselves, yet their children may have the disease.

That alcohol is a very strong predisposing factor is agreed upon by all authorities. In certain wine districts of Russia, where the drink habit has existed for many generations, the proportion of epileptics to the total population is very much greater than in other districts where this beverage is not so freely used.

Heredity plays a more important role in early life, before the twentieth year than in later life, and almost disappears after the fortieth year.

It has been estimated that from twelve per cent. to fourteen per cent, of cases occur before the third year, twenty-five per

cent, under ten years, and forty per cent. between the ages of ten and twenty years. There are special periods in early childhood which seem to be the prime predisposing factors. The two periods of dentition, the first of these beginning about the sixth and eighth month to about eighteenth or twentieth month. During this period, too, gastro-intestinal disorders are not an infrequent cause.

The second period of dentition, extends from the sixth to the tenth year. The percentage of epileptics is augmented during this period by the frequency of the exanthematous and infectious diseases, scarlet fever, measles, whooping-cough, etc. Convulsions occurring during these periods may lead to repeated attacks which may end in epileptic fits. Hemorrhage into the brain at birth, or soon after, from some of the above causes, especially whooping-cough, may cause hemiplegia, paraplegia.

Among the principal causes are foreign bodies in the eye, or eye strain, phymosis, stricture of the urethra, intestinal worms, hemorrhoids, disordered menstruation, menopause, etc. Emotional shock may cause fits in those who are of a nervous temperament.

As to the theories of the pathological lesions, they are so numerous and many of them so ill-founded and unscientific that we hesitate to accept them. A few seem plausible, but bear further scientific investigation.

It is not my purpose to discuss nor even to enumerate these many opinions. This feature of the disease is no doubt the least understood of the many mysterious conditions found in epilepsy.

A certain amount of nerve energy is constantly supplied by the body and an equal amount is expended. As long as the nerve equilibrium is maintained the nervous system will remain in a normal state. When the balance is lost, pathological conditions manifest themselves.

Prout and Clark's theory seems most plausible; that epilepsy probably originates from the sensory cells imbedded in the cortex of the brain, and when these cells become diseased both mo