Some say that this disorder is called _ephialtes_ in Greek, from the name
of a man, or from those in it fancying as if one leaped upon them. But
Themison, in the tenth book of his Epistles, calls it _pnigaleon_, from
a Greek word signifying suffocation. It attacks persons after a surfeit,
and who are labouring under protracted indigestion. Persons suffering an
attack experience incapability of motion, a torpid sensation in their
sleep, a sense of suffocation, and oppression, as if from one pressing
them down, with inability to cry out, or they utter inarticulate sounds.
Some imagine often that they even hear the person who is going to press
them down, that he offers lustful violence to them, but flies when they
attempt to grasp him with their fingers. The evil must be guarded against
at the commencement; for when it continues long, and attacks every night,
it is the forerunner of some serious disease, such as apoplexy, mania, or
epilepsy, when the exciting cause is determined to the head; for such as
persons affected with epilepsy are, during the day, those labouring under
nightmare are in their sleep. We must evacuate the patient’s general
system by opening a vein and administering purgatives. Black hellebore
is especially serviceable to such persons when given to the amount of
a drachm, if three oboli of scammony, and some of the aromatics, such
as anise, wild carrot, and Macedonian parsley, be mixed with it. The
composition called hiera, from wild gourd, is also of great service; it
is the hiera of Ruffus. The diet should be light, and they ought to
avoid everything that is flatulent. They are benefited also by the fruit
of peony: fifteen of the black grains of which may be pounded with water
and drunk frequently.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. See Aëtius (vi, 12); Oribasius (Synops. viii, 2); Actuarius
(i, 16); Cælius Aurelianus (Tard. Pass. i, 3); Psellus (Opus Medicum);
Avicenna (iii, 1, 5, 7); Alsaharavius (Pract. i, 33); Rhases (ad Mansor.
ix, 12, Contin. i.)
The other ancient authors treat the complaint, like our author, by
evacuants. Bleeding (Rhases recommends this to be done at the ancle),
drastic purgatives, and friction of the extremities are the common
remedies. Alsaharavius says that, if not cured by bleeding, it is to
be treated, as epilepsy, with hiera and the like. Even Cælius in this
case nearly agrees with the others, recommending restricted diet, and,
if the disorder is great, venesection. He also approves of applying
cupping-instruments with scarifications on the side of the throat, and,
when the disease is protracted, of emetics, and shaving the head. For the
cure of incubus, Mesue and Rhases recommend bleeding and an attenuant
diet. Ruffus, as quoted by the latter, recommends vomiting, purging, an
attenuant diet, sternutatories, masticatories, and ointments to the head,
containing castor and the like.