[p. 308]
paralysis, as, likewise, unrestrained laughter, even unto
death. These, indeed, are the primary causes; but the ultimate
and vital cause is refrigeration of the innate heat. It
suffers from humidity, or dryness, and is more incurable than
the other; but if also in connection with a wound, and complete
cutting asunder of a nerve, it is incurable. In respect to
age, the old are peculiarly subject, and difficult to cure; in
children, the cases are easily restored. As to seasons, the
winter; next, the spring; afterwards, the autumn; least of all,
the summer. Of habits, those naturally gross, the humid,
indolent, brutish.
When the affections are confirmed, they are made manifest
by loss of motion, insensibility of heat and cold; and also of
plucking the hair, of tickling, and of touching. It is rare
indeed when in them the extremities are painful; but insensibility
to pain is not worse as regards recovery. Wherefore
the disease occurs suddenly; but if at any time it have prolonged
onsets, there supervene heaviness, difficulty of motion,
torpor, a sensation of cold, sometimes an excess of heat,
short sleeps, greater phantasies, when they become suddenly
paralytic.
But in the Cynic spasm, it is not usual for all parts of the
face to be cramped; but those of the left side are turned to
the right, and those of the right to the left, when there is a
considerable distortion of the jaw to this side or to that, as if
the jawbone were dislocated. And in certain of these cases,
also, there is luxation at the joint, when in yawning the jaw is
displaced to the opposite side: strabismus of the affected eye,
and palpitation in the under eyelid; the upper eyelid also palpitates,
sometimes along with the eye, and at other times alone.
The lips are distended, each on its own side; but sometimes
both being collapsed, they splutter; in others, they are closely
compressed, and are suddenly separated so as to expel the
common spittle with a noise.
