Search the Dictionary

The "falling sickness," so called because the patient falls suddenly to the ground; a disease characterized by paroxysms (or fits) occurring at interval and attended by sudden loss of consciousness, and convulsive motions of the muscles. Dunglison.

A disease resembling hysteria in its nature, and characterized by the occurrence of epileptiform convulsions, which can often be controlled or excited by pressure on the ovaries, and upon other definite points in the body. -- Hys`ter*o*ep`i*lep"tic, a.

Good against epilepsy. -- n.

r, or cold air, rising from the trunk or limbs towards the head, a premonitory symptom of epilepsy or hysterics. Electric ~, a supposed electric fluid, emanating from an electrified body, and forming a mass surrounding it, called the electric atmosphere. See Atmosphere, 2.

A colorless or white crystalline compound, (CH2)6N4C2H5Br, used as a sedative in epilepsy.

A fancied perception of flashes of light, a symptom of epilepsy; hence, epilepsy itself; convulsions.

Pertaining to, affected with, or of the nature of, epilepsy.

Resembling epilepsy.

Producing epilepsy or epileptoid convulsions; -- applied to areas of the body or of the nervous system, stimulation of which produces convulsions.

Resembling epilepsy; as, epileptoid convulsions.

ver the doublet, worn in the early part of the 17th century. -- Falling sickness (Med.), epilepsy. Shak. -- Falling star. (Astron.) See Shooting star. -- Falling stone, a stone falling through the atmosphere; a meteorite; an aërolite. -- Falling tide, the ebb tide. -- Falling weather, a rainy season. [Colloq.] Bar…

A sudden and violent attack of a disorder; a stroke of disease, as of epilepsy or apoplexy, which produces convulsions or unconsciousness; a convulsion; a paroxysm; hence, a period of exacerbation of a disease; in general, an attack of disease; as, a fit of sickness. And when the fit was on him, I did mark How he did s…

-- applied in medicine to doubtful cases of some diseases; as, larvate pneumonis; larvate epilepsy.

The mildest form of epilepsy, with momentary faintness or unconsciousness, but without convulsions; -- opposed to grand mal.