Historical Overview of Epilepsy

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

I found this very interesting reading. Historical figures such as Julius Ceasar and Czar Peter had epilepsy, the Great of Russia and St Valentine was the Patron Saint of people with epilepsy since Medievil times.

Also says that people with Epilepsy were thought to be affected with the phases of the moon and in 19th century, they were treated in asylums and treated as outcasts and punished. The first effective anti-seizure drug was created in 1857 in London. Here's the link.

http://www.allcountries.org/health/epilepsy_historical_overview.html

 

[Rae1889]

Not going to lye, I have found correlation with my seizures during full moons.

 

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

I know I hear about lot more criminal activity and physical illnesses during a full moon than any other time.

I've also read that in earlier times, people with epilepsy were thought to be possessed by evil spirits and exorcisms were performed to try and rid the body of the evil spirit. Funny how things change.

 

[keyra]

onder:onder:i may have to pay more attention to the moon . . .
Let's test this theory! onder:

 

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

Here's another interesting read. Epilepsy is derived from the latin and Greek words for seizure and it goes as far back as the first medical records, even in ancient times and is considered an ancient disorder.

http://www.who.int/mental_health/neurology/Epilepsy_disorder_rev1.pdf

 

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

Famous classical writers with Epilepsy including Edgar Allan Poe a YIKES it was believed in some cases that epilepsy was from mastarbation and they castrated men and clitoridectomy on women. DANG, glad I wasn't born then.

http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/famous_writers

 

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

History and Stigma of Epilepsy for instance, until 1956, it was forbidden for people with epilepsy to marry in 17 US states and in some parts of the world, it's still considered a reason to have a marriage annulled and in the days of slavery, a contract to buy a slave was void if the slave was considered to have epilepsy

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1528-1157.44.s.6.2.x/pdf

 

[Crash]

I know I hear about lot more criminal activity and physical illnesses during a full moon than any other time.

Yes i have heard that as well,im sure i read an article saying there were more assaults (etc) during a full moon.The moon controls tides,so god only knows what it does to the human brain during its phase.

 

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

Facts & Myths about Epilepsy

"The Greek physician Hippocrates wrote the first book on epilepsy, titled On the Sacred Disease, around 400 BC. Hippocrates recognized that epilepsy was a brain disorder, and he spoke out against the ideas that seizures were a curse from the gods and that people with epilepsy held the power of prophecy. Sadly, false ideas die slowly, and for centuries epilepsy was considered a curse of the gods, or worse. For example, a 1494 handbook on witch-hunting, Malleus Maleficarum, written by two Dominican friars, said that one of the ways of identifying a witch was by the presence of seizures. This book guided a wave of persecution and torture, which caused the deaths of up to 100,000 women thought to be witches. "

http://www.epilepsy.com/101/ep101_facts

 

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

Misunderstanding and social stigma of Epilepsy in different countries

http://www.allcountries.org/health/epilepsy_social_consequences_and_economic_aspects.html

 

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

It's interesting how far back this goes and what the beliefs were in the beginning to now. And also how many people to this day still don't understand epilepsy and are literally afraid of what they don't know.

In this world, we tend to lash out at what we are afraid of or think the worst of what we don't know about. For those who are directly affected by epilepsy or anything else, we know what it's doing to us but no matter how much technology we have and more understanding, it's still a mystery as to why people have it. For if we knew the source, we might find a cure but for now at least we have the knowledge and technology to treat it. I can't imagine what those people went through in the early 19th century and back.