Experiments to determine the precise effect of bromide of potassium in epilepsy / by T. S. Clouston.

  • Clouston, T. S. (Thomas Smith), 1840-1915.
Date:
[1868]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experiments to determine the precise effect of bromide of potassium in epilepsy / by T. S. Clouston. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    the true result of large doses. In the case of J. Gr., at the head of the list, who took thirty-six fits per week without medic ne, after he had got up to half drachm doses he had no fits for ten weeks, and only had four fits for sixteen weeks thereafter. The reduction in this man's number of fits, there- fore, amounted to 24,000 per cent! In another case, W. M., the average without medicine was 7*2 fits per week, while after he had got up to half drachm doses of the medicine he only had twenty-two fits in twenty-six weeks, amounting to a reduction of 806 per cent. Another case, W. Gr., had 4-1 fits per week without medicine; after he had got up to half drachm doses, he had only eleven fits in twenty-six weeks. This was a diminution of 876 per cent. Another case, P. Mc, had taken five fits per week, and after half drachm doses, was reduced to seventeen fits in twenty-six weeks, or 670 per cent. T. S., the third in the table, had, on an average, 1*5 fits per week; after he got half drachm doses he only had one in twenty-six weeks, showing a reduction of 3,650 per cent. J. D. had taken l-7 fits per week, and only took six in twenty-six weeks, being a diminution of 640 per cent. J. F. took on an average two fits per week, while after getting up to half drachm doses of the medicine, he only took thirteen in twenty-six weeks, showing a diminution of 300 per cent. Had those seven patients not been taking any medicine they would have taken 1,495 fits in twenty-six weeks ; as it was, they only took 74 fits in that time. In only five of the twenty-nine cases were the number of fit s more numerous after the medicine was taken than before ; and in the only one of those (T. K.) in which this was markedly the case, the fits, which had been most severe before, were quite altered in character, and became much less violent after he took the medicine. He used to throw himself out of bed, and often to bruise himself severely during every fit he took at night before he got the medicine; he never did so after- wards. Another man (J. S.) in whom the fits were slightly more numerous, after getting the medicine became greatly more amiable and improved in mind. Effect of the medicine on the character of tlie fts.—la seven cases out of the twenty-nine there was a most marked change in the severity and length of the convulsive state, and of the succeeding coma. In two cases, where the patients threw themselves about during some of the fits, and took others in the ordinary way, they have never had one of the former kind since they began to take—the one fifteen grain, and the other thirty grain doses. One lad, who rushed forward with extreme violence during the tonic stage of convulsion, and threw himself out of bed at night, has, to some extent, lost