The Wilmington morning star., 1946-09-24
Doctor Says
SCIENCE ACHIEVES
EPILEPSY CONTROI
BY WILLIAM A. O'BRIFN. ~ p

~"@C4 pe0-
PIE only in that they have seizure,
time to time. One must 70,
lie that fact if he is to understood
epilepsy or its victims.
There are two kinds Of epiIensn
In one, attacks of convulsions 49,
loss Of consciousness lasting frona
five to 20 minutes occur. IN tba
other, loss of consciousness
short; in fact, a conversation Starh
ed before the attack can ba
continued with just a slight jn,ar,
ruption in the train of though
Much is known about the trAs,
ment of epilepsy and about III.
kind of persons VINO have this dix.
order, but less IS known Of tbs
actual cause of the seizures.
Parents Of epileptic children
tend to be over . protective. This
is especially true of mothers.
The first problem to b. solved
in the management of epilepsy
is to help the mother, father.
brothers, and sisters to accept the
one who has seizures.
In the case of school children
the teacher and The other pup,Is
should be helped to understand.
If others accept these children
and understand their condj-
ton, the number of seizures Quick.
ly declines without any other
change of treatment.
Epileptics should also be I'm.
derstood by their business asso.
ciates. Prior to World War II
epileptics found it difficult to Oh.
tain employment. The usual ey.
cuse given was that employers
we're afraid the epileptics would
injure themselves, but proper
placement does away with This
possibility.
Those who work with epileptics
should learn how to help them in
their seizures. A clothes-pin NAV
be slipped between the victims
teeth, to keep him from biting his
tongue, but no attempt should be
made to restrain him during the
convulsion. After the attack he
may rest a while and then 60 back
to work, or he may 60 home.
The average epilepsy patient
does not have anything wrong
with his brain or with his per-
sonality. The average epileptic is
normal or above in intelligence,
and some victims are geniuses.
Instead of admitting that they
have epilepsy, however, many vic
tins try to conceal it. They do not
consult a physician for medicine
and advice. but instead they buy
patent medicines, often by mail.
Epileptics have a tendency to
neglect taking their medicine on
schedule. The purpose of taking
these special drugs Is to control
the seizures, and not TO interfere
with normal mental and physical
activity. Bromides, p%henobarbi-
tai, and dilantin sodium are the
drugs given to control the attacks.
If you suffer with epilepsy, see
your physician about dilantin So
dunn and let him give you the
amount needed to control your
attacks. A trial might demon
strate that its use will reduce the
number OF your seizures.
Surgical operation may be rec
commended if there is pressure
upon the brain, resulting from an
injury or from a growth. When the
pressure is removed, the attacks
may be relieved. Unfortunately
however, most %epileptics are not
benefited by surgical operations.
The cause of epilepsy is a ten
dency toward co1vulsions ard loss
of consciousness. This tendency
exists in every n of us, and an
epileptic differs from the average
person mainly in that his seizures
come on with less p%rovocatio1.
Some epileptic seizures have
been controlled by giving the pa
tient insight into the nature o. ms
illness. Others have been re
lieved by special diets, and, as
indicated above, still others by
surgical operations.
Most epileptics find it necessary
also to take special sedatiVe drugs
to control the disease.
If you have attacks, remember
that you can help yourself and all
other sufferers from this disorder
by rising above your difficulty
There is an old adage which goes
this way: IF you want 10 succeed
get something wrong with you