Epilepsy. Several great men have suffered from this disease: Caesar, Mahomet, Petrarch, Newton, Peter the Great, Napoleon, Byron. Hereditary transmission of this disease is common. Intemperance, venereal excess and self abuse, blows on the head, and fright, are among the most frequent exciting causes. During the attack, when habitual, little or nothing is to be done. Place the patient so that he cannot strike his head or limbs against anything hard, loosen the clothing about the neck to favor free respiration and circulation, and insure fresh air about the patient; that is all. The inhalation of five drops of nitrite of amyl upon a cloth is said to ward off an attack. So simple an expedient 314 The Family Doctor as pulling the great toe is also said to often arrest an attack. To break up the recurrence of the fits is the problem for which a vast number of remedies have been tried. The preference, however, is given to the bromide of potassium and ammonium, 10 grains of each, three times a day. The following is the prescription largely used in his practice by the celebrated Brown-Sequard: Take of iodide of potassium, I drachm; bromide of potassium, i ounce; bromide of am- monium, 2)4 drachms; bicarbonate of potassium, 2 scruples; tincture of columbo, 1 fluid ounce; water, 5 fluid ounces✪ Bromide and Iodide Mixture for Epilepsy; dissolve. Dose, a teaspoonful with little water, before each meal. If the case is very bad, three teaspoonfuls are also taken at bedtime. Facial Neuralgia and Hysteria. Take of croton chloral hydrate, 2 drachms; glycerine, 2 ounces; water, 2 ounces. Mix; take a teaspoonful three times a day. If symptoms are urgent, take a teaspoonful every two hours until pain is relieved. Frost Bite : Chilblain. Gangrenous destruction of part, especially of toes, not infrequently follows actual congealation. When the feet or other parts have been so chilled as to be almost frozen, gradual warming — for in- stance, at first rubbing them with snow — is proper as a prevention of frosting. In its treatment, cooling ointments as Goulard's cerate or lotions of lead water, may be first indicated, and then astringents, as alum water, infusion of oak bark, creosote ointment, etc. Cabbage leaves are a popular domestic remedy for chilblains. Frost Bitten Fingers and Toes. Take of dilute nitric acid and peppermint water, equal parts. Mix; paint surface. After three or four days, the skin becomes dark, the epidermis is shed, and a healthy skin appears under- neath. Gout greatly resembles rheumatism. It is caused by The Family Doctor 315 high living, with indolent habits. An excess of animal ^ood with scanty exercise will produce it. Strong wines and malt liquors much increase the tendency. Weak wines do not seem to have the same effect. Hereditary transmission of the gouty constitution is very common. Premonition of a gouty spell is often witnessed for some days, with symptoms of indigestion, flatulence, acidity, constipation, and palpita- tion of the heart. Then a joint becomes very painful,, swol- len, red and tender; in the fnajority of cases, the great toe is affected. Other toes, the fingers, ankle, wrist, or knee may be attacked; the large joints least often. The suffer- ing with the gouty inflammation is often very intense, but its duration is not commonly more than a few days at a time. In treating this affection, cold locally applied should be ab- solutely avoided.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Epilepsy. Several great men have suffered from this disease: Caesar, Mahomet, Petrarch, Newton, Peter the Great, Napoleon, Byron. Hereditary transmission of this disease is common. Intemperance, venereal excess and self abuse, blows on the head, and fright, are among the most frequent exciting causes. During the attack, when habitual, little or nothing is to be done. Place the patient so that he cannot strike his head or limbs against anything hard, loosen the clothing about the neck to favor free respiration and circulation, and insure fresh air about the patient; that is all. The inhalation of five drops of nitrite of amyl upon a cloth is said to ward off an attack. So simple an expedient 314 The Family Doctor as pulling the great toe is also said to often arrest an attack. To break up the recurrence of the fits is the problem for which a vast number of remedies have been tried. The preference, however, is given to the bromide of potassium and ammonium, 10 grains of each, three times a day. The following is the prescription largely used in his practice by the celebrated Brown-Sequard: Take of iodide of potassium, I drachm; bromide of potassium, i ounce; bromide of ammonium, 2)4 drachms; bicarbonate of potassium, 2 scruples; tincture of columbo, 1 fluid ounce; water, 5 fluid ounces; dissolve. Dose, a teaspoonful with little water, before each meal. If the case is very bad, three teaspoonfuls are also taken at bedtime. Facial Neuralgia and Hysteria. Take of croton chloral hydrate, 2 drachms; glycerine, 2 ounces; water, 2 ounces. Mix; take a teaspoonful three times a day. If symptoms are urgent, take a teaspoonful every two hours until pain is relieved. Frost Bite : Chilblain. Gangrenous destruction of part, especially of toes, not infrequently follows actual congealation. When the feet or other parts have been so chilled as to be almost frozen, gradual warming — for instance, at first rubbing them with snow — is proper as a prevention of frosting. In its treatment, cooling ointments as Goulard's cerate or lotions of lead water, may be first indicated, and then astringents, as alum water, infusion of oak bark, creosote ointment, etc. Cabbage leaves are a popular domestic remedy for chilblains. Frost Bitten Fingers and Toes. Take of dilute nitric acid and peppermint water, equal parts. Mix; paint surface. After three or four days, the skin becomes dark, the epidermis is shed, and a healthy skin appears underneath. Gout greatly resembles rheumatism. It is caused by The Family Doctor 315 high living, with indolent habits. An excess of animal ^ood with scanty exercise will produce it. Strong wines and malt liquors much increase the tendency. Weak wines do not seem to have the same effect. Hereditary transmission of the gouty constitution is very common. Premonition of a gouty spell is often witnessed for some days, with symptoms of indigestion, flatulence, acidity, constipation, and palpitation of the heart. Then a joint becomes very painful, swollen, red and tender; in the majority of cases, the great toe is affected. Other toes, the fingers, ankle, wrist, or knee may be attacked; the large joints least often. The suffering with the gouty inflammation is often very intense, but its duration is not commonly more than a few days at a time. In treating this affection, cold locally applied should be absolutely avoided.

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Bromide and Iodide Mixture for Epilepsy

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