Recovery.—­The authority above goes on to say:  “This may be given today in the words of Hippocrates:  ’The prognosis in epilepsy is unfavorable when the disease is congenital (that is, existing at birth), when it endures to manhood, and when it occurs in a grown person without any previous cause.  The cure may be attempted in young persons but not in old.’ ‘’ Death rarely occurs during the fit, but it may happen if the patient is eating.  If the attacks are frequent and the patient has marked mental disturbance the conditions are unfavorable.  Males have a better outlook than females.

[290 Mothers’ remedies ]

Physicians’ treatment.—­What to do during the Attack of Epilepsy.—­Keep the patient from injuring himself, loosen the clothing, take off the collar or anything tight about the neck.  Place a cork or spool or tooth-brush handle between the teeth to keep the patient from biting his tongue, but attach a stout cord to the object and hold it in that way.

Preventive and general treatment.—­In the case of children the parents should be made to understand that in the great majority of cases epilepsy is incurable.  The patients need firm but kind treatment.  It does not render a person incapable of following some occupations.  “Julius Caesar and Napoleon were subjects of epilepsy.”  The disease causes gradual impairment of the mind, and if such patients become extremely irritable or show signs of violence, they should be placed under supervision in an asylum.  A person with this disease should not marry.

Diet.—­Give the patient a light diet at regular hours, and the stomach should never be overloaded.  There are cases in which meat is injurious, and it should not be eaten more than once a day and at noon time.  A vegetable diet seems best.  The patient should not go to sleep until the digestion is completed in the stomach.

Causes.—­Should be removed if possible.  Circumcision should be done, especially in the young.  In case of a female child the “hood of the clitoris” should be kept free.  Undue mental and physical excitement should be avoided.  Systematic exercise should be taken.  Baths in cold water in the morning, if possible, as the skin should be in good working condition.

Medicines.—­The bromides are the best, and should always be given under proper supervision of a physician or nurse.

Caution.—­I wish to add that parents should always attend to the seemingly harmless “fits” in their young children.  It will not do to say they are due to teething or worms.  If they are, the worms at least can be treated and that cause removed.  They may be due to too tight opening in the penis.  If that opening is small, or if the foreskin is tight it will make the child irritable and cause restless sleep.  Attend to that immediately.  The same advice applies to female children.  The “cover” of the “clitoris” may be tight, making the little one nervous; loosen it.  If your child keeps its fingers rubbing its private organs there is reason for you to have the parts examined and the cause removed as masturbation often starts in that way.  The parts itch and the child tries to stop the itching.  These little things often cause “big things” and I am sure “fits” can be stopped very often by looking after the private organs in both sexes.