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German Epilepsy Museum, Kork Oberdorfstrasse 8, D-77694 Kehl-Kork, Germany open Sundays 2.00-5.00 p.m. or by arrangement - free entrance postal address: Hornisgrindestrasse 70, D-77652 Offenburg, Germany Tel. & Fax: +49-1212-510.955.935 E-mail: info@epilepsiemuseum.de |
Introduction |
What is epilepsy? |
Epileptic seizures |
Types of epilepsies |
Causes of epilepsy |
Therapy |
Consequences |
History |
The History of Epileptology |
The Disease with 1000 Names |
Institutions for people with epilepsy |
People with epilepsy in the Third Reich |
Diagnosis |
... in the Ancient World |
modern Methods |
Therapy |
... in the Ancient World |
... in the Middle Ages |
... from the Renaissance to the Present |
Art |
Votive tablets |
Religious Art |
Other works |
Epilepsy Motifs in literature |
Famous People |
Introduction |
Gallery |
Note |
Therapy in the Ancient World
Attempts to treat epileptic seizures and the disease epilepsy date back to prehistoric times. In every historical epoch, the beliefs which people held about the disease dictated the types of therapy which were used. In the time before Hippocrates, when the "sacred disease" was thought to be an illness sent by the gods, people would offer sacrifices, seek expiation and take part in religious acts under the instruction of doctor-priest(preferably in the temple) in an attempt to be cured. |
The supporters of Hippocratic medicine, who believed that epilepsy had a natural cause, tried to treat the disease using natural means (humoral pathology: the ancient physiological theory of fluids or humors). The treatment was based on dietetics, or a structured, "sensible" lifestyle. This dietetic therapy was based on three pillars: dietary regulations, the regulation of excretions, and physiotherapy. |
Therapy in the Middle Ages (1/2)
In the Middle Ages, epilepsy was no longer considered to have natural causes but was rather thought to be the work of devils, evil spirits and demons ("morbus daemonicus"). As a result, "therapeutic" methods also changed and took the form of prayer, fasting, offering sacrifices, making pilgrimages or undergoing "exorcisms" |
![]() ›› St. Valentin People turned to several saints for direct help or prayed to them to intercede with God on their behalf. Many sacred, devotional objects were used to combat epilepsy (treatment using the saints and sacred objects: "hagiotherapy"). After the plague, epilepsy was the disease with the most saints who were "responsible" for providing a cure, and the most important one in Germany was Valentin (probably because of the similarity of his name with the German words for "to fall" [fallen], "falling sickness" [Fallsucht], and "don’t fall down" - fall net hin - Valentin). ![]() |
Therapy in the Middle Ages (2/2) | ||
![]() ›› Fraisenkette |
![]() ›› Peony ![]() |
Therapy from the Renaissance to today (1/2) | ||
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Therapy from the Renaissance to today (2/2) | ||
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Modern epilepsy surgery can help a number of these "therapy-resistant" patients, however. |