Path. Also 6–8 epilepsie. See also EPILENCY. [a. OF. epilepsie, ad. L. epilēpsia, a. Gr. ἐπιληψία, f. ἐπιλαμβάνειν to take hold of, f. ἐπί upon + λαμβάνειν to take.] A disease of the nervous system, characterized (in its severer forms) by violent paroxysms, in which the patient falls to the ground in a state of unconsciousness, with general spasm of the muscles, and foaming at the mouth. The Eng. name is falling sickness (now little used).
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, I. xxiii. 35. The same … is good for the Epilepsie, or falling sicknesse.
1604. Shaks., Oth., IV. i. 51. My Lord is falne into an Epilepsie; This is his second Fit.
1658. J. R., trans. Mouffet’s Theat. Ins., 1098. By their smell the Epilepsie that ariseth from the strangling of the Mother, is discussed.
1757. Burke, Abridgm. Eng. Hist., Wks. (1812), X. 196. The epilepsy was by the Romans … called Morbus Sacer.
1843. Lever, J. Hinton, xxxiv. (1878), 232. His features worked like one in a fit of epilepsy.
1850. W. Irving, Mahomed, vi. (1853), 32. Some of his adversaries attributed them to epilepsy.
