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ST. VITUS 'S DANCE.

313

these the oxyde of zinc* has of late been highly extolled for thecure of the epilepsy. Though this medicine will not be found toanswer the expectations which have been raised concerning it,yet in obstinate epileptic cases it deserves a trial. The dose isfrom one to three or four grains, which may be taken either inpills or a bolus, as the patient inclines. The best method is to be-gin with a single grain four or five times a-day, and gradually toincrease the dose as far as the patient can bear it. I have oftenknow.i this medicine, when duly persisted in, prove beneficial.Sulphate and carbonate of iron ; the ammoniated iron ; ammonia-ted coppert of the Edinburgh pharmacopoea (in small doses, in-creasing it gradually to as much as the stomach will bear.) Thepowder and other preparations of tin, have all been used in thecure of epilepsy, but their effects appear rather doubtful.

MuskJ has sometimes been found to succeed in epilepsy ; ten ortwelve grains of which, with the same quantity of factitious cinna-bar, may be made up into a bolus, and taken every night andmorning.

The nitrate of silver,^ in the cure of epilepsy, has been found tobe a valuable medicine, even where the disease has been of manyyears' standing, and had resisted the powers of others. It is ad-vised to begin with a quarter of a grain three times a-day (for anadult) gradually increasing it afterwards to one grain, or one anda half, in the form of a pill. The oil of turpentine has been usedin some cases of epilepsy with manifest success, as well as in otherspasmodic diseases. The dose should be considerable to produceany effect, e. g. an ounce for a delicate female ; an ounce and ahalf for a robust female, or small man ; and about two ounces fora robust man. It is best exhibited in milk ; and the fittest timefor taking it will be early in the morning, upon an empty stomach.In some of the worst cases of epilepsy, in which the fits were longand violent ; as well as frequent throughout the course of the day,and .where the disease has been of long standing, electricity hasbeen found to render them weaker, and to reduce their numbervery materially in a short space of time. When other means failto produce the desired effect, galvanism may be tried.

Convulsion fits proceed from the same causes, and must be ,treated in the same manner as the epilepsy.

St. Vitus's Dance. (Churta Sancti Viti.)

' The disease termed Chorea, or St. Vitus's Dance, generallyattacks young people from the eightli year of their age till the

• Take Oxyde of Zinc.

Compound Powder of Cin-namon, 15 grains.Bark in Powder, 1 drachm.Mix and divide into 12 papers, of whichtake one three times a-day.

t Take Ammoniated Copper, f grain.

Confection of Orange Pee], 10 grs.Make a bolus, to be taken twice a-day.

{ Take Musk.

Castor of each, 10 grains.

Opium, J grain.

Confection of Roses, enough.Make a bolus, to be taken every 6 hours.

§Take Nitrate of Silver, 3 grains.

Dissolve it m a few drops of distilled»water, then add crumbs of bread, a suffi-ciency to form the m i is, ( -> be dividedinto 20 pills, of which one or two marybe taken two or three times a-day.

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