On the Causes and Symptoms of Chronic Diseases (1.2)

IF the head be suddenly seized with pain from a temporary cause, even if it should endure for several days, the disease is called Cephalalgia. But if the disease be protracted for a long time, and with long and frequent periods, or if greater and more untractable symptoms supervene, we call it Cephalæa.

There are infinite varieties of it; for, in certain cases, the pain is incessant and slight, but not intermittent; but in others it returns periodically, as in quotidian fevers, or in those which have exacerbations every alternate day: in others it continues from sunset to noon, and then completely ceases; or from noon to evening, or still further into night; this period is not much protracted. And in certain cases the whole head is pained; and the pain is sometimes on the right and sometimes on the left side, or the forehead, or the bregma; and these may all occur the same day in a random manner.

But in certain cases, the parts on the right side, or those on the left solely, so far that a separate temple, or ear, or one eyebrow, or one eye, or the nose which divides the face into two equal parts; and the pain does not pass this limit, but remains in the half of the head. This is called Heterocrania, an illness by no means mild, even though it intermits, and although it appears to be slight. For if at any time it set in acutely, it occasions unseemly and dreadful symptoms; spasm

and distortion of the countenance take place; the eyes either fixed intently like horns, or they are rolled inwardly to this side or to that; vertigo, deep-seated pain of the eyes as far as the meninges; irrestrainable sweat; sudden pain of the tendons, as of one striking with a club; nausea; vomiting of bilious matters; collapse of the patient; but, if the affection be protracted, the patient will die; or, if more slight and not deadly, it becomes chronic; there is much torpor, heaviness of the head, anxiety, and ennui. For they flee the light; the darkness soothes their disease: nor can they bear readily to look upon or hear anything agreeable; their sense of smell is vitiated, neither does anything agreeable to smell delight them, and they have also an aversion to fetid things: the patients, moreover, are weary of life, and wish to die.

The cause of these symptoms is coldness with dryness. But if it be protracted and increase, as regards the pains, the affection becomes Vertigo.