To sum up, epilepsy is a chronic abnormality of the higher nervous system,
characterized by periodic attacks of alteration of consciousness, often
accompanied by spasms of varying violence, affecting primarily the brain
and secondarily the body, based on an abnormal readiness for action of the
motor cells, occurring in persons with congenital nerve weakness, and
leading to mental decay of various types and degrees of severity.

* * * * *

CHAPTER IV

CAUSES OF EPILEPSY

"Find out the cause of this effect,
Or rather say, the cause of this defect,
For this effect defective comes by cause."
"Hamlet," Act II.

THE MECHANISM OF THE FIT

The brain consists of cells of _grey matter_, grouped together to form
centres for thought, action or sensation, and _white matter_, consisting of
nerve strands, which act as lines of communication between different parts
of brain and body. The wrinkled surface (_cortex_) of the brain, is covered
with grey matter, which dips into the fissures. There are also islands of
grey matter embedded in the white.

The front part of the brain is supposed, with some probability, to be the
seat of intelligence, while a ribbon three inches wide stretched over the
head from ear to ear would roughly cover the Rolandic area, in which are