The consideration of spasms naturally follows that of paralysis,
because both are affections of the nerves; and, for the same reason,
we shall next treat of tremors. When, therefore, spasms come on at
the commencement of the complaint, or nearly so, and are protracted,
they have their origin in plethora; but when they supervene after
copious sweatings, vomitings, discharges from the bowels, hemorrhages,
watchfulness, hunger, or much and violent exercise, they proceed from
depletion. If they suddenly attack a person in health, they must
necessarily proceed from plethora. But when from ardent fevers the nerves
and whole body are dried, and then spasms come on owing to the dryness,
this is one of the worst possible cases, and is almost incurable.
Wherefore, we must, in the first place, bind gently the limbs which are
contracted, and resist their inordinate motions, and rub them with oil
of rue, Sicyonian or old oil, or the like; and the patients must take
propomata of honied water. In convulsions from depletion, warm oil,
or oil and water, are to be poured upon the patients, and if nothing
contra-indicate, they may be put into a bath. We may use a tepid hip-bath
with oil, and the gentlest friction. For food, they must take spoon-meats
of chondrus and alica; and we may allow them a thin watery wine of easy
diffusion if they have no fever. Then we must use the juice of ptisan
and promote sleep. Spasms occasioned by plethora or inflammation, we
may cure by diminishing the fulness, and removing the inflammation by
suitable remedies. Spasms come on also during the agitations of violent
vomitings, which cases are benefited by drinking infusions of the root
of cotton-thistle, or of the white thorn, or of the Egyptian thorn; but
some give the juice of the slender centaury to drink when the convulsions
arise from plethora; and one should not only drink it, but rub the
skin externally with castor and Sicyonian oil. If they do not cease,
cupping-instruments, with scarifications, should be applied; when the
legs are affected, along the ischium and the last vertebra; and when the
arms are convulsed, to the back, to its first vertebra, and the one above
the shoulder. When the rest of the body is not affected, but one of the
lips, eyebrows, or tongue, is contracted, the symptom is to be reckoned
dangerous and alarming, although the parts affected be but small in size.
Wherefore you must abstract blood from the hind-head, and from over the
first vertebræ.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. See Hippocrates (Aphor. v, 70); Galen (Comment.; de Loc. Aff.
iii; Meth. Med. xii); Celsus (ii, 1); Cælius Aurelianus (Morb. Acut. iii,
6); Aretæus (de Morb. Acut. i, 6); Leo (ii, 17); Nonnus (38); Octavius
Horatianus (ii, 10); Aëtius (vi, 38); Oribasius (Synops. viii, 16);
Avicenna (iii, 2, 5, 6, 7); Serapion (i, 27); Avenzoar (ii, 3, 10, and i,
10, 3); Alsaharavius (Pract. i, 2, 21); Rhases (Divis. i, 16, and Contin.
i.)
Aëtius and Oribasius treat of spasms in nearly the same terms as our
author. We shall give an account of the doctrines of Aretæus and Cælius
Aurelianus in the next section. The principles of our author’s treatment
are mostly derived from Galen. The Arabians adopt his views without the
slightest modification.