On the relation of sleep to convulsive affections / by William Frederick Barlow.

  • Barlow, W. F. (William Frederick), 1817-1853.
Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the relation of sleep to convulsive affections / by William Frederick Barlow. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    17/18 (page 15)
    paralysed, but prone to spasm, I have remarked emotion and volition to contend together, and now one prevail, and now the other. A good example of a wrestling instance is given by Cruveilhier, who speaks of a case of flexion and rigidity of the lower extremities, which was permanent unless a great effort at extension was made. But I doubt not that even epilepsy is far oftener prevented in wakefulness than we think, by those efforts of the mind which should, by all means, be encouraged. This is partly to be explained by our rule over emotion; partly, perhaps, by the effect of attention; but, most of all, by the command of volition over the respi- ratory movements. In sleep this is lost to us; and in that state we find the truth negatively exemplified, that volition is not only a directing, but very often a conservative, power. It is stated amongst the aphorisms of Hippocrates that the arrest of respiration indicates convulsions. And certainly the excitement of inspiration hinders them, as Dr. Denman showed when he suddenly applied cold to the face in cases of puerperal paroxysm. In the deep sleep which not uncommonly succeeds to epilepsy, inspiration may, occasionally, be most advan- tageously produced by means of sudden and transient cold, the return of blood from the congested brain being, by this means, greatly promoted; and where there is dangerously and to au essay ou Some of the Relations of Volition to the Physiology and Pathology of the Spinal Cord iu the 'Medical Gazette' for 1848, in which I have more fully entered into the question of the antagonism between the power of the will and various causes of spasmodic action. See Professor Volkmann's remarks in 'Miiller's Archives' for 1838, and a note of Dr. Baly in his translation of MiUler's ' Elements of Physiology,' 2d edition, p. 800; and Dr, Marshall Hall's second and third memoirs on the Nervous System, in the Transactions of the Society. Dr. Holland's reflections on Sleep, Dreaming, and others, also, in which he refers directly to Volition, may be consulted with great advantage in respect to several points on which this paper touches. 1 would also make reference to some obser- vations of Mr. Himter, Mr. Grainger, Dr. William Budd, Dr. Watson, Dr. West, Dr. Carpenter, Dr. Kirkes, and Mr. Paget, and tliose wliicli Dr. Sibson has published, since the reading of this paper, in the last volume of the ' Provincial Medical Transactions.'