Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Supplement, Volume 1.djvu/857

 H E A

H E A

in the various kinds of fifh, in number, figure, and fituatlon. As to number, i. They are fewer than ufual in the cetaceous and cartilaginous kinds. 2. In the fpinofe fifhes, in general, they are very numerous. The bones in the Head of the perca fluviatilis of Bellonius will ferve as ah inftance of this. The number is not the fame in the feveral kinds that feem neareft allied. In the fifti laft mentioned there are no lefs than eighty. There are five in the tongue, one oblong, one in the anterior part, and four Ihorter in the hinder part. There are four in the lower jaw, two on each fide. The offa hypophthalmica are ten on each fide, four are fmall, and of different figures from the reft. The membrana branchioftega contains on each fide feven of them. The offeous laminae, behind the eyes, are four on each fide. The upper jaw confifts of four bones, two on each fide. The noftrils have each one bone placed be- low them. The bones of the palate are four ; three of thefe are fmall, and ftand forwards ; the other is long, and fhaped like a pick-ax head, and extended all over the palate. The middle of the anterior bone is nicely articulated with this. There is, befide thefe, a cartilaginous bone, of a very fingular figure, extended under the bones of the palate, almoft to the end of the fiiout j this has on each fide an angular bone faftened to it, and under that end which is neareft the fnout, there is yet another placed, which is of a very fingular figure. The bones that cover the Head above are four ; the two an- terior ones are fmall, the two pofterior ones are long, and fo broad, that they cover the greateft part of the Head and cra- nium. The bones of the cranium are eleven in number ; that which is neareft the vertebras is large, and has feveral apo- phyfes and cavities. In the lower part of this there are con- tained two oblong and flat little bones, of almoft a ftony hard- nefs ; all the reft are fmaller, and all of very fingular and re- markable figures. Artedi, Ichthyolog.

He AV>-Acb (Cycl.) — Phyficians commonly diftinguiih the Head- deb into two kinds, according to its degree and continuance. The gentleft kind they call cephalalgia, and the more violent and obftinate cephalaa ; of which in order. Cephalalgia is defined to be a pain in the Head, proceeding from a copious congeftion of the blood and humours to that part, which do not find any exit or paffage from thence.

They generally diftinguiih it alfo into two kinds, the idiopa- thic, and the fymptomatic.

The idiopathic is that which arifes from a plethora, and an immediate congeftion of blood or humours in the Head. The fymptomatic is that which arifes from a fault in the primal viae, communicating with the Head by means of the par va- gum of nerves, or from a tranflation of the humours to the Head, in fevers, or other diforders.

The difttnetion of the Cephalalgia from the Cephalaa is, that in the latter all the fymptoms are more violent ; the Cephalaa alfo is ufually chronical and habitual ; the Cephalalgia only returns at times, and has but fhort periods. The fimple Ce- phalalgia is alfo diftinguiflied from the venereal Head-ach by the burning heat and fenfation of erofion which attends the latter, which alfo is continual, or, at leaft, never wholly ceafes, and is always moft violent in the night, when the body is at reft, and is hotter than in the day. Junker, Confp. Med. p. 96.

The Cephalalgia fometimes feizes on the whole Head; but more ufually the forehead is the feat of it ; very frequently alfo it is felt about the origin of the nofe, and a weight or prefTure and burning heat are felt in the os cribrofum, and often at the fame time there is felt a violent weight and prefTure in the bulbs of the eyes ; not unfrequently a tooth-ach attends upon the Cephalalgia, and when this is violent, the other abates in pro- portion. A noife and ringing in the ears is often alfo an at- tendant on it, and the eyes are often red and inflamed ; the face alfo looks red, and often turgid, but fometimes it looks as remarkably pale, or has a rednefs irregularly fpread over it ; both thefe cafes are from ftrictures upon the veflels. The vef- fels of the neck and temples are often turgid. Women arc very fubjedt to this pain about the time of their menftrual dif- charges, either before their eruption, or at any time on their diminution ; fometimes the Head-ach is attended with a ver- tigo, which gives proof of a very violent congeftion, and fometimes a binding of the bowels, and a flight fuppreflion of urine attends it.

People of a plethoric habit of body are more fubject than others to this pain, and, in general, young people more than fuch as are older, and women more than men, and perfons who live high, and drink much wine, and ufe little exercife, fuffer much more by it than thofe who live lower, and ufe much labour and exercife.

Caufes of r/j t - Head-ach. Among the natural and internal caufes, the principal are an over quantity of blood, and a de- rivation of great quantities of it toward the head, with an in- tention of nature to relieve herfelf there by a haemorrhage from the nofe. The external or accidental means that may bring on this pain, are very numerous. The natural and habitual evacuations of blood being fupprefTed, and of thefe particularly a bleeding at the nofe, the neglect of accuftom'd bleedings, fweats prevented or repelled, and the omiffion of purging, cuftomary before at certain periods of the" year ; great commotions of the body, or paffions of the mind i

especially anger, drunkennefs with fpirituous liquors of any kind, the attrading acrid fumes thro' the nofe, a fudden cooling of die legs or feet, a tranflation of the peccant matter toward the head in fevers, and a peculiar fenfibility in the organs of fmelling, whence perfumes give fome perfens the Head-ach j and to all thefe are to be added an hereditary difpofition, or injuries from blows or concuflions of the head long before. Junker's Confp. Med. p. 100. Prognojlics from it. The Head-ach is a pain rather troublefome than dangerous in itfelf, but it too eafily degenerates into worfe complaints, and not unfrequently prefages defects of the fight, or hearing, or the gout ; a'nd in old age, lethargies, apoplexies, and paralytic diforders. The Head-ach often is cured by nature, by plentiful hemorrhages from the nofe, and fometimes by inflammatory diforders of the adjacent parts; it more eafily leaves young people than old; and indeed where long fettled upon a perfon, and become habitual, rarely gives way to any remedies. Method of Cure, The congeftions of humors are to be derived from the fuperior to the inferior parts, and above all things the bowels are to be loofen'd by clyfters and purges, for they are ufually bound up in this diforder. After this, medicines are to be given which will quiet the violent emotions of the blood ; fuch are powders of nitre, crabs-eyes, and fome dia- phoretic, with a little cinnabar, according to Stahl. When the blood is thick, a fcruple of tartarum vitriolatum may be given every day with great fuccefs. After thefe the gentle dia- phoretics are to be given in fmall dofes with the diluent de- coctions of the common tea -herbs, fuch as baum, fage, and the like. And if the pains are exceffivc, a gentle opiate, fuch as a fmall dofe of the ftorax pill may be added to thefe. External applications fometimes alfo aflift the ufe of internal medicines^ of this kind are fpir-it of wine camphorated, with a fmall admixture of faffron ; this fometimes almoft mftanta- neoufly removes the pain. Coarfe bread with juniper berries, caraway -feeds, and fait, laid on as an epithem, is alfo fome- times a prefent help ; and bags of the aromatic ingredients reduced to a grofs powder are, tho* a flower, yet often a very valuable relief All thefe are only to be ufed in the idiopathic Head-ach ; for in the fymptomatic, regard is to be had only to the principal diforder; and when the caufe is removed, the effect always ceafes. After the fits of the Head-ach are over, it is proper by way of prevention for the fu- ture to bleed in the fpring and autumn, and frequently to bathe the feet in warm water. The ufe of gentle exer- cife is to be greatly recommended. The fatty or oleaginous remedies prefcribed by fome for rubbing on the head, are to be carefully avoided, as they ftop up the pores, and prevent perfpiration. The fmelling to pungent liquids is not of fo much benefit, as ufually fuppofed. The urinous volatiles, fuch as fpirit of hartfliorn, fal volatile, and the like, are fometimes of a little prefent relief ; but the common ufe of fpirit of lavender and Hungary-water, on thefe occasions, is often the caufe of more violent pain, by caufing a frefh deri- vation of humours on the parts. Cinnabar has, by many au- thors, been fuppofed a dangerous medicine in all cafes of this kind ; but Stahl affirms, on repeated experience, that it has great good effects ; and that in thefe and many other cafes, it fupplys the place of opiates and anodynes. Junker's Confp. Med. p. 104.

Cephaleca is a violent and continual pain in the head, occa- fioned by a rheumatic congeftion of humours in the head. Notwithftanding the Cephalaa is a continual and unintermit- ting pain of the head, yet it is fubject to fome remiflions, and is thence diftinguiflied by authors into the periodic, the continual, and the vague Cephalaa. The continual kind is that which is always in the fame degree, and admits not of the leaft remiflions. The periodical is that which has its re-. gular periods of being lefs intenfe ; thefe are called its remif- fions. And finally, the vague Cephalaa, is that which has times of being lefs violent ; but thefe return at no regular nor ftated periods. Junker's Confp. Med. p. 116. Signs of it — The Cephalaa fometimes fo much refembles the" Cephalagia, or common Head-ach, that it only differs from it by its obftinate continuance, and the violence of the pain ; and in women it has all the fame fymptoms with the clavus hyftericus, except that it affects indifferently all parts of the head. When this complaint arifes from a venereal taint in the blood, it is always violent; but moft fo, when the per- fon is warm in bed. When it arifes from a fcorbutic coa>. gulation of the blood, or an inflammation of the meninges of the brain, the pain is remarkably ftiarp and piercing, and is attended with a febrile heat, and an intolerable thiift. There generally comes on a vertiginous diforder of the head after this complaint has held the patient fome time, and the patient can never bear any motion ; and on the leaft making, or difturbing the head, the pain becomes violently intenfe, and refembles the beating of an artery in puliation. The pain is in general lefs violent while the patient lies down, but as foon as the Head is raifed up ever fo little, it increafes to a great degree. The leaft noife or motion is terrible to perfons in this ftate, and the light is frequently offenfive and pain- ful; fo that the patient loves retirement in darkened and quiet rooms, and avoids company. Liquors of any ftrength give 2 violence